


Everything and More

by Kittleskittle, mythicait, toxcatl



Series: Camboy Nil Cinematic Universe [2]
Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: BDSM, Camboy Nil, Exhibitionism, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Light BDSM, Light Dom/sub, Light Masochism, M/M, Multi, Nipple Piercings, Outdoor Sex, Pegging, Praise Kink, Recreational Drug Use, Roleplay, Semi-Public Sex, Shibari, Smut, Teacher/Student Roleplay, Will update tags as I add chapters, they eat an edible that's it that's the drug use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:15:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 33,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25692670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittleskittle/pseuds/Kittleskittle, https://archiveofourown.org/users/mythicait/pseuds/mythicait, https://archiveofourown.org/users/toxcatl/pseuds/toxcatl
Summary: This is a collection of outtakes from the Eyes On Me universe, taking place after the end of the fic when Aloy, Avad, and Nil are all happily together (some pieces will take place before the epilogue since it is placed a year after the actual end of the fic).
Relationships: Aloy/Avad (Horizon: Zero Dawn), Aloy/Avad/Nil (Horizon: Zero Dawn), Aloy/Nil (Horizon: Zero Dawn), Avad/Nil (Horizon: Zero Dawn)
Series: Camboy Nil Cinematic Universe [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1710313
Comments: 75
Kudos: 29





	1. Everything and More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nil has an announcement to make to his viewers since his life is different now that he has Aloy and Avad.

**firestalker:** _wait did you move again?_

 **Guest057:** _u got a gf??_

 **oserambooty:** _gf or bf??????_

 **Idontknowwhyimhere:** _ohhh so this is why you’ve been cancelling sessions huh_

If Nil didn’t already keep his chat notifications muted, he would have had to mute them now. The comments were coming in so fast he could barely read them so he finally gave up and let out a sigh before turning back towards the camera.

He’d known as soon as he made this announcement that his viewers would start with all this shit. Still, it was worth it since he had to explain why he _did_ cancel occasionally now. Life was different now that he had Aloy and Avad and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

In fact, this was his first session in their apartment. 

_His_ apartment. 

The day Aloy had blurted out that they wanted him to move in with them officially, Nil had felt like he’d been side-swiped by a semi truck. Not like they hadn’t been building up towards it, but still… some days felt more like a fantasy than others. And now, a week later, the few things he hadn’t already brought over here were now settled into his new home. They’d decided to keep his apartment for storage - having three people fully in one apartment of this size didn’t exactly leave much space for all of their stuff - and he’d still be doing a majority of his camming there, but he wanted to have this announcement here.

Avad and Aloy themselves were standing offscreen, watching him from the kitchen as he performed a little for his viewers, both virtual and not. This wasn’t a full session, just the announcement and fielding questions, but he’d still stripped mostly down to appease some of his calmer viewers. 

“Firing off questions like arrows, hm? If you’ve got a new one, drop it in, but if it’s been asked before, save yourself the effort,” he drawled, letting a little bit of his dom voice come out to play. He didn’t miss the shiver he saw go through his lovers at the sound and he let a sly grin start to form but he kept his attention on the computer. 

“To answer some of you, yes, I did move. My lovely partners asked me to move in with them and I accepted, though I kept my old place so you’ll still see me camming there.” This prompted a whole new slew of comments and Nil rolled his eyes as they steadily ignored his request for restraint. If they wouldn’t listen to him, he wouldn’t listen to them.

Leaning back on the couch, Nil took the opportunity to give a feline stretch, his muscles and the bare expanse of his torso on full display as he moved sinuously in a way he knew would affect them. Once his little of preening was done, he settled back against the cushions and said, “Your onslaught of personal questions are as tedious as a history lecture” - he could _feel_ Avad’s glare - “especially since you all know I won’t answer any questions about them.”

A memory flitted through his mind and he qualified that. “Well, actually, I will grace you with a little morsel. They might or might not be the hot neighbors I mentioned a few months ago.” That statement inundated his comment section with a lot more intimate questions than he had been getting before and Nil grinned. 

“No, they won’t be joining me on here - unless they decide to later,” he purred, that comment was entirely directed at the two people standing a mere handful of feet away and he didn’t need to look to know that Avad had gone bright red. “And even though I do have them now, I’ll be saving plenty of myself for all of you.”

Sometimes playing this game was irritating but Nil knew that making his viewers feel special was part of the thing that kept them coming back. He’d lose a few now that he’d be holding less sessions, but most of them would stick around if he kept up his act. 

**Guest117:** _what happened to “people aren’t worth the effort of dating”?? -_-_

Nil cocked a pierced brow. “I said _most_ people aren’t worth the effort of dating,” he corrected. “And these two are definitely the exception to that. They…” This time, he couldn’t help himself and his attention wandered to the loves of his life, gazing back at him with open affection. A tender smile tugged at his mouth and he didn’t stop it. “They’re everything to me.” 

Still conscious of their promised silence, Avad and Aloy said nothing but the looks on their faces were entirely worth his public declaration. 

Turning back to the camera, Nil grinned. “So there’s my announcement. I’ll be on a little less often but I’m not planning on leaving you cold and dry anytime soon. For those of you who still want to see me fuck myself into oblivion, I’ll see you later this week.”

As soon as Nil hit the End Recording button, he was tackled back into the couch and showered in kisses. Laughing, he did nothing to stop Avad and Aloy as they crushed him beneath their weight. 

“Did you mean it?” Aloy asked breathlessly when they finally stopped assaulting him.

Cupping her cheek, he brushed his thumb against her soft skin as she looked at him with her wide green-gold eyes. “Of course, huntress. You know I meant every word I said.”

Surging forward again, she kissed him hard and Nil groaned when her tongue invaded his mouth. Giving as good as he got, he almost missed Avad’s hand moving down his bare chest and he gasped when it settled lower. 

His lover’s voice was deep and lovely as he whispered against his ear, “Can we show you how much you mean to us?” 

Helpless against them, Nil could only nod. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who love all our idiots, I've got a recommendation!! Kittleskittle just started an amazing modern au Niloy fic called Peregrinations and it's an absolutely amazing piece of work that I absolutely love and you should check it out. I'm going to probably sprinkle some recommendations out in the end notes on these outtakes so keep an eye out!


	2. Tongue Tied

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aloy decides to join Nil on one of his cam sessions and finds herself liking it a lot more than she thought she would.
> 
> I updated the tags and the specific ones for this chapter are: smut, exhibitionism, shibari, bdsm, light dom/sub.
> 
> Art this week is by Kittleskittle and good god do I love it, it's so amazing.

“You’re sure about this, little huntress?” 

Aloy nodded, determination thrumming through her veins and Nil tipped her chin up to kiss her lightly. The feeling of his lips soft on hers only solidified her decision. She wanted this so much she was aching for it. 

Which was how she ended up like she was now, with nothing but her panties on and the rest of her on display for hundreds of people she’d never met. 

This was her first time camming with Nil, but she’d been intrigued by the idea of it for months. Ever since he’d made that little comment during his announcement of his slowed down schedule, she’d been toying with the idea. As it happened, one of his viewers had asked for a demonstration of the shibari skills he’d mentioned and Aloy had volunteered. 

Nil had been, and still was, very cautious with her. They’d had a long conversation about what she was okay with and what her limits were for her first time and he’d put up an announcement of it on his site so people would know why it might be cut short if she needed to stop. It was all very familiar to her since this wasn’t the first time she and Nil had talked about safe words and limits, nor was it the first time he would tie her up.

The memory of his hands tracing ropes across her body kept her in a constant state of need even just leading up to this. He’d started it all off slowly, introducing her to his viewers as Seeker - in tribute to the username she’d first used while watching him on this very channel - and slowly stripping her. Every time he touched her, his hands gently caressed her skin and he murmured little reassurances to her so quietly the mic couldn’t pick it up. 

Just having thrown her bra away, Nil came back to settle behind her.

“Good job, kitten,” he murmured, lips brushing against her neck. “Still okay to go on?”

Nodding just barely, Aloy reached back for him but he caught her hands. 

Nil tutted at her, his voice taking on a deeper tone. “You know you’re not allowed to do any touching for this.” Drawing her hands behind her, she felt him shift to hold them in one fist. “You’ve just turned about the order I wanted to do things.”

The purr of his voice sent heat slinging through her, even more so when he pulled back on her hands slightly so that her back arched and her pert breasts were presented to his satisfaction. One hand now free, Nil trailed his fingers over her shoulder and down her sternum. He made sure not to touch her anywhere she really wanted him to and his touch left her altogether far too soon. 

“This is supposed to be at least a little instructional, hm?” he teased her.

Tugging on the wrists still held in his grasp, Nil turned her to that she was facing to the side of the camera. Coiled beside them was a length of blue cotton rope and Nil grabbed the smallest piece and began winding it around her wrists. 

He spoke as he worked, explaining the types of knots and ties he was using to his viewers. Everything went in one ear and out the other for Aloy, though. All of her focus was centered on Nil’s hands on her, the rope slowly tightening on her skin, and the feeling of being watched by so many people. 

She didn’t want to admit how much she was enjoying all of this. 

“...and there. Try it out, Seeker.” Aloy did as she was told, testing the give of the rope and finding it tight enough to constrict but not enough to bite into her flesh or cut off blood flow. She nodded, but Nil moved around in front of her to make her look at him again. “Use your words, darling.” 

Pure affection blazed through his silver eyes and she wondered how he could stay so calm when every breath she took only made her pulse beat more erratically. “It’s good,” she breathed. “Not too tight.” 

As if he could tell what she was feeling - and he might indeed have felt her heartbeat racing - Nil paused to settle his hands on her shoulders. 

“Close your eyes and breathe,” he said softly. He rubbed his thumbs over her collarbones as she did what he said and her breaths slowed as she focused on taking deeper inhales. When she didn’t feel so wildly out of control, she opened her eyes to find him and only then did he continue. 

This entire session was half lesson and half tease as Nil spoke to the viewers and continued to check in with her as he wound another length of rope around her stomach and shoulders. He let his fingers graze her skin like he knew she liked and by the time he reached her chest, she was panting again. 

Brushing his thumb along the underside of her breast, Nil leaned forward to press his forehead against hers. “Calm down, my huntress,” he whispered.

Grinning up at him, she couldn’t help but tease him back. “But you always get me worked up so well.” 

Delight echoed in his gaze and he pressed a quick kiss to her lips before going on, as if he couldn’t help himself. Aloy didn’t know if their viewers could tell, but Nil’s movements slowed as he framed her breasts with the rope, adding the little flourishes and knots that he had tied all the way down the front of the corset. 

The whole time, he was close enough to touch if only she had her hands free. His hard thighs bracketed her own, mostly bare except for the tight pair of black briefs he wore. Like her, he wore nothing else - though she supposed that was no longer true now that she was wrapped in rope. 

After what felt like years of his soft and sure touch, Nil tied off the rope behind her. As his hands stroked across the ridges of braided cotton, he tested the fit of it. Settling into the feeling of being so bound, Aloy stretched to test her bindings, fighting against the rope just enough to know she could only do so much. 

When she settled back onto her heels and let out a long breath, Nil pulled his hand from behind his back. Pinched between his fingers was a bright red carnation and his eyes glittered as he smelled it before reaching over to thread the short stem between the coils of rope stretching across her ribs under her breasts. 

Throwing a boyish smile at the camera, he said, “That’s just because it looks pretty on her.”

“Romantic,” Aloy murmured fondly at him, a smile tipping the corners of her mouth up as she leaned almost close enough to kiss him. 

Right before she could, Nil pushed her back with a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

Slipping his fingers between the rope and her skin, his voice was cool as he explained the amount of slack it should have to their viewers and the distance nearly drove Aloy insane. Ever so slightly, she rocked towards him, pressing against his hand until his gaze snapped to meet hers. 

“-and if you have a feisty rope bunny, you can use the ropes to move them where you want to.” Before he even finished speaking, Nil used the ropes to maneuver Aloy so that she was facing the camera once again and he was pressed up behind her. 

With her hands tied behind her, he couldn’t press up against her the way she knew he wanted to and the thought almost consoled her about the torture he was putting her through. His next move distracted her from any other thoughts as his fingertips glided over her stiff nipples, drawing out a harsh gasp from her. 

If all of his other touches while he was tying her up were teases, this was true torment. He cupped her breasts, already outthrust from the ropes and pinched and twisted her nipples until she was arching against him and crying out. Every firm movement brought her closer to begging for him to finally fuck her. When he took pity on her and his hands slipped from her breasts down the front of the rope corset, Aloy let her head fall back to rest against his shoulder as she sucked in breath after breath. 

“Ready for the next bit, little bunny?” 

Aloy nodded her head frantically, desperate for him. When they’d talked about what she was comfortable with, there had been stages; the first was undressing and getting tied up, the second was him touching her, getting her off with- 

Nil’s fingers slipped down past the edges of the ropes and over the thin fabric of her underwear. Jerking against him, Aloy rolled her hips into his touch until his other hand on her stomach stopped her. 

“And from here,” he announced, “you can make them come until they beg for you to stop.”

His fingers pressed firmly against her clit and Aloy gasped as he began to stroke her at a brutally slow pace. The friction from her underwear only made it worse, enhancing the drag of his fingertips against her soft flesh. From the moment he had first started stripping her clothes off of her, Aloy had been wet and after everything else, she knew her panties had already been soaked before he even touched her there. 

Nil had been good at sex long before they’d met, and after months of sharing her bed, he knew her body maybe better than she knew it herself. Every change in pace and pressure was calculated to bring her higher, coax her moans louder, make her struggle harder to thrust against him. When he stopped for the barest moment to slip his hand into her underwear, she cried out in protest, so close to the edge that she might honestly scream if he denied her the release she craved. 

But he was kinder in his cruelty, his fingers soaked now as he slipped a couple inside her and ground his palm against her bundle of nerves. The feeling of him inside her, even just his fingers, made her pussy clench around him and Aloy cried out as her climax thundered through her. 

Continuing in his relentless assault, Nil pumped his fingers inside her, curling until he stroked the spot inside her that made her orgasm last far longer than it should have. When he finally slowed, slipping out of her to lightly caress her clit before withdrawing his hand from her underwear. Exhausted and breathing hard enough she couldn’t hear anything beyond her own heartbeat, Aloy didn’t think she would be ready for anything else until he lifted his fingers to his lips and licked them clean. 

Nil knew exactly what that did to her, too, and she could see the mirth dancing in his grey eyes as he watched her. Before they had started, she had told Nil that she wasn’t sure if she wanted him to cross that last line while being watched but now the thought consumed her. All Aloy needed was him inside her and she needed it _now._ Thinking about all the people watching him take her apart only made her blood run hotter and she spoke out on instinct.

“Please, S-Shadow, fuck me,” she whined, almost forgetting for a moment to call him by his cam name. Using that moniker only reminded her of the months when she and Avad had yearned after him when he was only the man on this screen and the fact that he was _hers,_ wholly and fully, in heart and soul, made the tears stinging her eyes fall. 

She could feel him tense behind her and knew he saw how overwhelmed and needy she was. Cradling her neck, he bent closer to whisper in her ear. “Sweetheart, do you really want me to fuck you? We can stop here if you want or need to, just say the word.”

The tenderness in his voice only made her love him more. She knew he was just as able and willing to do this, his cock hard and hot against her hip, but he would stop at one whisper or movement from her. 

“Triangle.” 

Nil pressed his lips to her cheek, a firm kiss acknowledging her green light. “Call it if you need it, love.”

Certain now that she truly wanted this, Nil pushed her forward roughly. He’d surrounded them with blankets and pillows to pad her knees and they came in handy now as she fell so her chest was pressed against them and her ass was in the air. Despite its softness, the fabric of the pillow underneath her rubbed against her sensitive nipples and had pulses of heat piercing through her. 

Running his hands over the ropes crisscrossing her spine, Nil took his time exploring her body. When his wandering hands reached her hips, he dragged her underwear down to tangle with the ropes binding her thighs and Aloy gasped at the feel of cool air on her heated flesh. 

She couldn’t see him, but she felt Nil shift before he pressed against her from behind. He’d been shedding his own last layer, Aloy realized with a choked cry as he pressed his cock against her core. Content to drag this out for as long as he wanted, Nil rocked against her a few times, keeping the pressure from his cock along the length of her slit but never entering her. Aloy was almost ready to growl her frustration at him when he pulled back completely. 

When she tried to follow him, tried to thrust back against him, his hand on her hip stopped her. Craning her head to see what he could possibly be doing, she saw him reading the comments flashing across his page.

With a strangled cry, Aloy pushed against the hand holding her still. His fingers tightened until she thought he might leave bruises and still she pushed. “I’m pretty sure-” she panted, “that they want you to fuck me. So stop - ah - stalling and _fuck me.”_

Grinning down at her, Nil spared a last glance for the camera. “Well, you heard her.” When he turned back to her, he gave her his full attention, the teasing from before gone as he lined himself up and slammed into her. 

Aloy practically screamed as his cock filled her, as he hilted inside her in one firm stroke. Before she could recover from the blinding feeling, he pulled out only to thrust into her again. Nil set a harsh pace, gripping her hips to pull her back onto his cock as he pumped into her fast and hard. She moved with him as much as she could, trussed up and balancing on knees that she couldn’t spread thanks to the underwear still tangled around her thighs.

When Nil’s hands shifted to hold onto the rope wrapped around her waist, he pushed her chest down more firmly even as he used the ropes to pull her back against him even harder. Aloy whimpered as the change in angle caused him to hit even deeper than before, his cock dragging against her inner walls with every thrust. Everything in her ached for the release she chased with every rock of her hips and when Nil stopped, buried all the way inside her, and reached down to brush his fingers over her clit, she fell apart completely. 

Aloy lost herself to her bliss, spasming around him even as Nil started to thrust into her once again. It wasn’t long before she felt his hips stutter as he spilled himself inside of her and he leaned over to press his forehead to her shoulder, his breaths coming as fast and hard as her own. 

Only a couple moments passed before Nil straightened and she felt him slip out of her. 

“Thanks for joining, but now I think I’m going to tend to my little Seeker offline.” 

She heard a few taps and assumed he had ended the session, but by the time she stirred his hands were already back on her. Gently, Nil tugged her up so that she was kneeling again and she slumped back against his strong chest as he started picking at her bindings. 

“You did so well, Aloy,” he murmured. “You were so good for me.”

Aloy hummed in satisfaction, the warmth that had spread through her still making her feel like she never wanted to move again. “I liked that…”

She could feel his hesitation before he asked quietly, “Did you? I didn’t push you too hard?”

As long as it took to tie her up, the rope fell apart rather quickly when Nil tugged in the right places. Pressing back into him even more, Aloy lifted her hands to run them through his hair and cradle his neck. “If I hadn’t liked it, I would have used my safe word. You know me, Nil, I wouldn’t have hesitated.”

A deep chuckle sounded in her ear. “That’s true. And you can always tell me when to stop and I will, little huntress.” The sincerity in his voice flowed through her and Aloy smiled. 

Nil’s hands landed on her wrists as he pulled her hands down, rubbing the slightly chafed skin from when Aloy had struggled against them to get closer to him. When he was satisfied, he brought her wrists up to kiss first one then the other. Shifting to get closer to him, Aloy nuzzled her face against his neck. 

Shifting her around, Nil swept her up into his arms and carried her through his old apartment and into the bathroom. As much as Aloy loved what came before, the way Nil took care of her afterwards was always her favorite part of their rougher bouts of sex. He was so attentive, and this time he bathed her completely, murmuring praise and teasing her as she stretched out in a warm bath.

Reaching up, she tugged on his hair. “Get in here.” 

“Aloy, that tub is barely big enough for you, let alone both of us.”

Shifting to sit up, she scooched towards one side. “There. Now get in here.”

With a put upon sigh, Nil stood to strip his briefs off and stepped into the tub behind her. He was right; it was a tight fit, but they made it work. Aloy pressed herself against him, sighing happily as his arms closed around her and they lay there in silence as the water cooled. 

“I’m not saying I’ll do it very often,” she mused, “but I’d be willing to join you again sometimes.”

Nil huffed out a laugh, his arms tightening around her as he kissed her temple. “Whatever you want, huntress. I’ll take care of you either way.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're giving y'all a LITTLE more spice in some of these outtakes in case you didn't notice O.O 
> 
> For those of you who don’t know bdsm terminology, green lights are a type of safe word that mean you’re good for more! As opposed to yellow or red lights which are slow and stop respectively (there’s more details to it, but that’s the gist of it). 
> 
> Fic recommendation for this week is one of my absolute favorites - Seeker of the Nora by Vidalsqueen!! It’s a polyam fix-it fic that follows Aloy throughout the entirety of Horizon: Zero Dawn’s events in which she is involved with Erend, Nil, and Avad! It’s actually what got me polyshipping in HZD in the first place and the author is a dear friend so please go read and enjoy, it’s completed and an absolutely amazing read.


	3. Their First Anniversary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nil decides to do something special for his first anniversary with Aloy and Avad, much to their surprise. 
> 
> No smut in this one, just pure fluff! (okay like a TOUCH of hurt/comfort but not much really I promise)

Since he was the one home most often, Nil had started trying to cook. 

He’d never had that much skill in the kitchen but if he could help Avad, then it would be worth it. As the end of his master’s program drew near, Avad was more and more stressed and he was the only capable cook among them so he had been spending so much of his time busy that both Nil and Aloy were trying to help as much as they could. So, when Nil asked Avad if he could start watching him cook and learning from him, he’d had an ulterior motive. 

Surprising himself, Nil was a quick study with all of it. Avad and Aloy seemed more expectant of this but he still didn’t quite know what to think about it. One day, as he watched Avad stirring together ingredients for cheesecake, he wondered if maybe it had been because his mother hadn’t been there to show him how. Meals in his home growing up consisted of packaged food and occasionally mac n’ cheese and he’d never bothered to try to do more. It didn’t help that since the beer was in the fridge, the kitchen was a very dangerous zone for running into his father.

“Who did you learn from?” 

The question popped seemingly out of nowhere, but Avad just threw him a smile as he worked. 

“There was an old cook in our house who ran the kitchen with a firm hand,” he began, and Avad took on the tone of voice he used when he was telling stories about artists from the Renaissance or old kings in the middle of Europe. “The first time I ran into the kitchen was after my father had yelled at me for interrupting him, and I was looking for a place to hide.” 

Despite the heavy topic, his tone was even and Nil didn’t see any of the pain that often still lingered when Avad spoke of his father. 

“When she turned to see me, I thought I was about to get hit with the big spoon she was wielding.” A smile lit his face and Avad pushed the bowl he’d been working on at Nil before grabbing the raspberries from the fridge. “Stir that, please. She didn’t, of course, and I think I must have looked terrified because she took pity on me and let me hide away until I had calmed down. 

“The next time I ran away, I went to the kitchen again. And again, she let me stay. She didn’t say anything, but that time she gave me a cookie, fresh from the batch she’d just taken out of the oven.” Sighing wistfully, Avad said, “I began to spend more and more time there and she would teach me little bits of what she knew. Before I knew it, I was helping her as she cooked and baked.”

Avad’s voice trailed off and Nil sensed this story didn’t necessarily have a happy ending. “What happened?” he asked quietly.

“She died,” he whispered. “My first year here at uni. I didn’t get the chance to see her again.” 

Setting down the bowl, Nil slipped behind him to wrap his arms around Avad’s waist as he continued to cut the raspberries into pieces. He knew he couldn’t say anything to make it feel better, but he pressed a kiss against his shoulder, hoping Avad could draw comfort from him. 

“She said I should have gone to a culinary school, not bother with boring things like art and history.” The words were said so fondly that Nil’s own heart ached and he squeezed him a little hard. They stayed like that for a little bit, the sound of chopping the only thing filling the void left behind by another loved one.

“Thank you,” Avad murmured, leaning back into him just a little. “But you really should be stirring that.” 

With a playful bump of his hip, Avad knocked him away. A smile was back on his face but Nil kissed him again, this time on the cheek, before leaving his side. 

***

He’d been working up to this for months. 

Avad had been teaching him all sorts of dishes, including Indian food, and Nil was going to take advantage of that. 

The three of them hadn’t been sure when to celebrate their first anniversary - the beginning of their relationship had been so full of missteps and miscommunications, that it was all a jumble. They had settled on the anniversary of their first date and they’d celebrated and it had been wonderful, but Nil had another plan. 

As much as he loved that first date and all that had happened since, in his heart, their first anniversary would be a year after they told him that they loved him.

He kept them in the dark as to his plans, because he wanted all of this to be a surprise. Enlisting Erend’s help, he’d gotten them out of the way for the afternoon so he could concentrate on the cooking. 

Since they had each gotten different dishes during that first date, he couldn’t wholly recreate it, but he’d gotten the recipe for the curry Aloy had eaten from the restaurant itself. Despite having made curry with Avad a few times, this was the first time he was making this specific recipe, so Nil stayed as true to it as he could. 

Though before that, he had to make their dessert. He took the easy way out on these since he knew gulab jamun the traditional way took more skill than he had at the moment and used milk powder instead of _khoya._

Soon enough, the smell of frying dough filled the apartment and Nil had the dessert soaking in syrup. He’d had to start the syrup over once but so far, he was doing better than he’d expected. Tying back his hair into a bun, he turned his attention to the stack of ingredients he needed for the curry. 

Hours after he began, the smell of spices sharpened the air and he finally texted Erend that it was safe to stop stalling. Knowing it was altogether too dramatic, Nil set the table with their nicest dishware - courtesy of Avad, of course - and fussed with everything until it was perfect. 

Thanks to the thin nature of their door, he heard his lovers before they even put their key in the door. Smoothing down the front of his button-down shirt, he took a deep breath before looking up as the door opened. 

“Nil, why are the lights-”

Aloy’s question stuttered to a stop as they caught sight of Nil in the candlelight. He was so nervous that he couldn’t help but shift under their stares, but he met their gazes head on. Before they could say anything else about the food or his being dressed up more than usual, he spoke.

“Happy anniversary.”

Avad’s brow furrowed. “But we celebrated-”

“A year ago today you told me you loved me for the first time. I wanted… I wanted you both to know again how much I love you, too.” Nil wasn’t used to this and he cut himself off before he rambled on. Avad was the romantic one; these overtures weren’t his normal way of showing them that he loved them and he was more nervous standing there than he had been in a long time. 

Thankfully, they didn’t make him stay like that for very long. Shutting the door behind them, Avad strode over to kiss him senseless. 

“Is that gulab jamun?” Aloy’s excited query broke them apart and Nil kept his arms around Avad’s waist as he turned to smile at her.

“Yes. I made curry, too.” He could feel himself turning red but he rushed on to say, “Just like our first date.”

Aloy’s gaze softened and she walked over to pull him down for a soft kiss of her own. “You are so sweet, Sahad. Thank you.”

“We should probably eat before it gets cold,” he managed to say. Aloy’s knowing smile told him she saw what he was doing but even still he relaxed slightly when their attention switched to the food. 

Paired with rice, naan and wine, the three dug into the curry and Nil’s heart lifted at their reaction. Avad’s groans and Aloy’s inability to talk between inhaling bites made all of the effort worth it. Before too long, they’d each eaten their fill, with even more food left on the table. At Avad’s look, Nil just shrugged.

“I figured I’d make enough for you to take some to work tomorrow.”

Those gorgeous brown eyes softened and for the thousandth time over the last year Nil thanked whatever deity had a soft spot for him for putting these people in his life. Avad reached out to grab his hand where it rested on the table, bringing his knuckles up to brush a kiss over them. “Thank you, my love.” 

“I can help,” Nil blurted out. “You don’t have to do everything yourself, Avad. I know school and work are exhausting you. Let me help out more.”

Avad blinked at him for a moment before swallowing. “I know I take on more than I should-”

“That’s for sure,” Aloy mumbled and Avad shot her a slightly teary smile.

“I know I do,” he continued, “and sometimes I forget that you two can help. Thank you, for reminding me.”

“And?” Nil lifted an eyebrow at him, letting his tone communicate exactly what he knew Avad hadn’t said yet.

Begrudgingly, Avad laughed. “Yes, I’ll let you help. Do you want to split cooking duties?”

Nil shook his head firmly. “Nope. You have your own battles to fight, princeling. Leave those entirely to me.”

This was the moment Aloy decided to pipe up again. “I can help!”

_“No.”_

The boys’ unified and firm disapproval made all three of them burst into laughter, until Aloy protested their cruelty and Nil dragged her into his lap to kiss her anger away. The next time she opened her mouth to argue, he popped one of the little dessert balls in her mouth.

Forced silent, Aloy glared at him as she chewed, until she dropped her forehead on his shoulder. 

“I can’t stay angry at you when your food is so damned good, you asshole,” she muttered. 

Laughing, Nil patted the back of her head, consoling his little minx. He caught Avad’s gaze over her shoulder and winked at him as his partner lost the fight against the laugh bubbling out of him. 

Altogether, the evening had gone exactly the way he’d hoped it would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just a sucker for this kind of fluff y'know??
> 
> Fic rec for the week is That Would Be Enough by rhysands_highlady! It's an amazing ot3 in-canon fic and I cannot wait to see where she takes it!! You should all be reading it and her other fics because she's a great writer.


	4. "A" For Effort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Avad gets stuck at work grading papers and Nil decides to come... distract him. 
> 
> Tags: smut, exhibitonism (just a lil), roleplay, teacher/student roleplay, light dom/sub
> 
> Art this week is by toxcatl and I ADORE it, they're both so cute and horny I cannot even stand it.

Glancing up at the clock hanging on his wall, Avad sighed. It was already well over an hour past when his office hours had ended and he was still stuck here grading papers. Normally, he would have had these done ages ago, but the students were expecting their scores and corrections back tomorrow and he’d slipped a little on getting them done beforehand. 

Avad blamed his lovers for that. He hadn’t gotten this little sleep in… he couldn’t remember when. Not that it wasn’t absolutely wonderful, but the lack of sleep didn’t help his concentration whatsoever.

He threw his pen on the desk to run his hands through his hair, sighing in disgust as he tried to get the image of Nil and Aloy naked in his bed out of his head. That was _not_ what he needed to think about right now. He still had - he checked - four more papers to grade and he wanted to get home to those very people sometime in the next couple hours. 

Despite his determination, his gaze wandered to the picture he had up on his desk of the three of them. They’d taken it the last time they went out to one of the nearby park ranges for a hike and they were all sweaty and smiling. Usually so good with a camera, Nil refused to take the picture because he wanted them both in his arms and they’d argued until someone came along and offered to take it for them. Out of the several photos she’d been kind enough to take, there had only been one where they were all smiling nicely. The photo on his desk wasn’t one of them; they’d managed to capture a perfect moment where Nil was laughing, the grin lighting up his face, and Aloy was glowering up at him. Avad was tucked under Nil’s arm, undoubtedly groaning at whatever stupid joke he’d made while he pressed his face against his shoulder. It was quite possibly one of his favorite photos of them. 

With a heavy sigh, Avad forced his eyes back onto the paper in front of him and ignored the lurking thoughts that urged him to just delay the results and go home to his partners. Slogging through the rest of this paper, his attention kept wandering despite his stubborn need to finish. 

Soon after he started the next in line, a knock sounded at his door. When he didn’t answer right away, he heard a muffled, “Professor Surya?” and Avad sighed. 

He knew it was long past office hours, but he was here so he might as well answer whatever questions they had. Most of the time he loved being a TA but right now, he cursed his chosen job silently before raising his voice to beckon, “Come on in.”

He didn’t bother to look up as the student came in, reaching instead to cross out a terribly error-laden sentence in bright red ink. Gesturing vaguely at the chair in front of his desk, he absentmindedly asked, “What class are you in?” 

“Oh, I’m in whatever class you’re grading papers for, Mr. Surya,” came the purred reply in a voice he knew all too well.

Avad’s head snapped up and he found Nil smiling at him from where his tall form was sprawled in the chair before him. The sultry grin he wore made Avad’s face heat and he stood unsteadily, banging his knee on his desk. “N-Nil, what are you doing here?”

“You’re grading papers, aren’t you, Mr. Surya?” As opposed to before, now Nil was trying to sound as innocent as possible. “I came to talk to you about my grade.” Wide gray eyes met his through-

“Are those my glasses?” 

Reaching up to fidget with the glasses resting on his nose, Nil squinted just slightly at him before letting a sly smile sneak out. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr. Surya, I always wear glasses in your class.”

Groaning, Avad collapsed back in his chair. “Nil, I need to finish these and then I can come home, I promise.” 

“I can help relieve some of your stress if you want, Mr. Surya.” If the seductive tone wasn’t enough to make Avad finally catch on, Nil leaned forward to rest his elbow on his desk, his bright eyes trailing over his body. 

Realizing what he was trying to do, Avad’s face flamed. “No,” he hissed. “I’m at work, Nil, we can’t do that here.”

“You can’t see your students here in your office?” With the slow grace of a big cat, Nil rose from his chair and wandered around the side of Avad’s desk. As soon as he got close, Avad tried to push his chair away, but his lover caught him, resting his hands on the arms of the chair. Leaning forward until his lips were tantalizingly close, Nil continued, “The door’s locked, Mr. Surya. And you have me all to yourself.”

Looking helplessly up at his boyfriend, Avad couldn’t even process what was happening enough to argue against it. Nil was seducing him like this was a bad porno- and it was actually working. He fought against the heat rising in him at the idea of Nil on his knees, but he couldn’t fight the way his cock twitched as he reached forward to play with his collar teasingly. 

Probably knowing that Avad’s will was crumbling, Nil smirked just a little. “Is there anything I could do to convince you to raise my grade, Mr. Surya?” he asked playfully. 

He wasn’t going to be able to get anything else done tonight anyway. Reaching out to close the distance between them, Avad brought his lover’s mouth down to his for a hard kiss. Ready for exactly that, Nil leaned into him, deepening the kiss with his tongue until Avad’s breath left him entirely. 

When he pulled away to gasp for air, Avad directly roughly, “You can get on your knees.” His voice shook towards the end, finishing more as a question than a command as Nil did as he was told and dropped to his knees all too willingly. 

His lips quivered against the smile Avad knew was trying to break forth, but Nil kept his character much better than he did. “Now what do you want me to do, sir?”

Cursing under his breath, Avad leaned back in his chair, covering his eyes with a hand. This was entirely too much. He’d never- Aloy had teased him about this, but here- His other hand spasmed where he was gripping the chair as Nil’s hands landed on his knees. Peeking out from between his fingers, he found Nil’s focus entirely on his hard cock, pressing against the fly of his pants and far too visible for his liking. 

“I think there’s something you want me to do,” Nil murmured, flicking his gaze up to regard him coyly from under his lashes. “Do you want me to touch your cock, Mr. Surya?”

If all of his blood weren’t flooding south, Avad knew he’d be redder than his lovers had ever teased him for being. But he couldn’t deny that the thought of Nil taking advantage of him here was consuming him… He nodded jerkily.

Avad bit down on his lip to keep from crying out as Nil’s palm landed on his cock, still blocked by its clothing barrier. As he tugged his zipper down, the only coherent thought Avad had was whether or not he had actually heard Professor Marad go home yet for the evening. His office was right next door and the walls were relatively thin and- 

His hard cock sprang free as soon as Nil dragged his underwear down far enough and he gasped at the feeling of cool air and his lover’s hot gaze. Before he could compose himself, Nil’s hand closed around his length and started pumping him slowly. Collapsing back against his chair, he couldn’t help the little roll of his hips into his steady grip. 

“Is that all you needed, sir? Or is there something _else_ I can do for you?” How he managed to keep his tone so even, keep his innocent act up so well, Avad would never know. Especially not since he already had him practically coming apart at his first touch. Avad could barely focus enough on not calling out his name, let alone take on the role Nil had given him. 

Watching him with sharp silver eyes that caught every one of his thoughts, Nil suddenly stopped stroking him. Instead, he rested his fist at the base of his cock, squeezing just a little, making Avad gasp. When he met that gaze, he could clearly hear the command he’d given him more than once in the past.

_If you don’t tell me what you want, I’ll stop touching you at all, pretty boy._

It took him a moment of catching his breath and steeling himself, but finally Avad kept a straight face as he said, “If you really want me to make an exception for you, you can suck my cock.”

Delight flashed across Nil’s face before he schooled himself. “Anything for you, Mr. Surya.”

Before he could prepare himself, Nil ducked down to wrap his lips around the head of his cock, swiping his tongue over the tip. Avad cried out at the feeling of his warm mouth taking him deeper, no longer worried about or even aware of anything existing aside from Nil and how good he felt. But even still, Nil teased him, never going as fast or as deep as he wanted him to, taunting him to take control. 

Letting go of the chair’s arms, Avad reached out to tangle his fingers in Nil’s silky black hair and jerked him down further. Relaxing, Nil groaned as he took him deeper, the sound vibrating against his cock and making him thrust up involuntarily. Wildly, he waited for Nil to tap his leg but the warning never came so Avad let himself go, pumping up into Nil’s mouth as he lost his fight for restraint. 

Nil only let him get away with that for so long though and before he felt the pressure inside him building up to its peak, he pulled off of him. Gasping at the denial, Avad opened his eyes to find Nil wiping his mouth clean with a devious glint in his eyes. 

“Nil, please-” he managed to grind out.

“Please what? I sucked your cock, didn’t I, professor?” That wicked grin that usually made his entire body heat now just made him want to scream. 

“Damn you,” he muttered. Need coursed through him, wrecking him even though Nil was barely touching him anymore. The temptation to touch himself if his lover wasn’t going to do it was strong, but he knew Nil wouldn’t hesitate to pin his hands down and let him squirm. 

Unfortunately for him, Avad knew his weaknesses, too. Letting his own eyes go soft as he looked at the man still kneeling between his spread thighs, Avad reached out to run his fingers over his sharp jaw. Letting all the lust he had stoked inside him out, he begged him, “I want you inside of me, Sahad. I need you- god, I _need_ you to fuck me.” 

Just as he knew he would, Nil let out a sharp breath before rising to his feet. Without any hesitation, he pulled Avad up with him, burning him with a hard kiss as he hooked his hands under his thighs and hauled him up into his arms. Avad groaned into his mouth, meeting his tongue with his own as Nil turned to drop him on his own desk.

When Nil pushed all of the papers off the surface, Avad squawked in outrage but he was already distracting him with another searing kiss. He only broke it to pull off the stolen glasses he wore, tossing them on the chair before returning his attention back to Avad. Clutching at Nil’s shirt, he moved his hips when he pulled at them, helping his lover as he tugged his pants and underwear down and off along with his shoes. Once they were out of the way, Nil crowded him again, his hands hot against his bare thighs as he spread them wide. 

Barely able to breath under his assault, Avad couldn’t focus on anything except having Nil inside him. His lover’s hands grasped his hips, pulling him against his own hard cock, even as Avad reached between them to fumble at his belt. Fueled by desperation, he had it undone quick enough and Nil’s cock in his hand.

Stroking him roughly, it was Nil’s turn to gasp into their kiss. Avad was tempted to go slow, to torment him like he had done, but the feeling of his thick cock had him too eager to have it inside him. 

Pulling out of Nil’s grasp, Avad leaned back against the hard surface of his desk, his elbows braced underneath him. Letting his gaze trace from Nil’s hard shaft all the way up to his face, the tension between them bloomed. When he met his fiercely beautiful eyes, Nil’s control broke and he reached down to tease Avad’s entrance with a couple deft fingers. 

Avad threw his head back, gasping as Nil’s prepped him roughly. He was almost tempted to tell him not to even bother; he needed him inside of him, all of him. But before he could speak, Nil pulled back and the head of his cock replaced his fingers. Apparently, he’d been out of it even more than he had thought, since Avad hadn’t even noticed when Nil had slicked his cock, but he was grateful for it as he pushed inside him smoothly. 

Crying out sharply, Avad clenched around him as Nil sheathed himself fully inside of him. He rocked his hips against Avad’s, the movement driving him mad even as he wrapped his legs around his waist to pull him even closer. Nil’s hands slipped under the hem of his shirt, the large warmth of them grounding him. 

Nil leaned forward to brush a kiss on the hollow of Avad’s neck softly before drawing back and pulling out of him to slam back in hard. Scrambling at the hard pace he set, Avad tried to move with him but eventually he gave up, letting Nil lift his hips and pound into him at whatever pace he wanted. 

Even before Nil’s hand closed around his cock, Avad was close. The combination of his lover’s thrusts and his hand stroking him in time with them had him coming apart so quickly his head spun. Clapping his hand over his own mouth, Avad muffled the loud cry he let out as he came. Nil kept stroking him through it, his own thrusts slowing until he buried himself deep inside of him and fell over the edge as well, moaning Avad’s name. 

Bracing himself with a hand pressed against the desk, Nil gave him a tired smile. “I should know better than to underestimate you by now, princeling.”

Slowly catching his breath, Avad glared up at him. “I was _almost_ done with grading.” 

“But you had to help a student,” Nil teased him, grinning even as Avad shoved him off. He kept that smug expression the entire time he straightened himself out.

Beyond grateful that the little office he’d been gifted had its own bathroom attached, Avad cleaned himself up. It wasn’t until he came back out to find Nil cleaning up the papers he’d shoved off the desk that he heard the sound of violins pouring into the room. “Oh, by the sun,” he whispered, horrified. That was Marad’s music. 

Meeting Nil’s gaze, he found his lover almost overcome by mirth and he reached over to smack his arm. “This is not funny, Nil. My boss just heard us- he just heard-” Peals of laughter filled the room as Nil lost his struggle at last. Avad pushed him away viciously. “I’m never fucking you again,” he whispered fiercely.

“It’s a little too late to try and be quiet, darling. I think he’s already well aware that you’ll let me fuck you anytime.” 

Swiping up the papers he had yet to grade, Avad shoved them into his bag before shoving Nil out and locking his office. “Go. Now, before I forget that I love you.”

Wrapping his arms around him from behind, Nil nuzzled a kiss against his neck despite Avad’s struggles. “I love you, too, pretty boy.”

“Go _away.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am having entirely too much fun writing these outtakes.
> 
> Fic rec this week is From Under a Shadow by cryptid_jack! It's a fantastic ereloy piece that's set post-canon when Erend goes back to the Claim and becomes an ealdorman and it is SO good. Jack's a great writer and it's so worth the read (not completed yet but trust me, it's worth it).


	5. A New Addition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nil finds a wayward little creature on his way home and decides to add another member to their little family. 
> 
> Sorry I forgot to post on Monday lmao, this week has been wildly crazy and I'm an idiot and just forgot ksdhfbaslg
> 
> This one is all fluff my friends! Art this week is brought to you by toxcatl and it's so fucking cute I screamed when I first saw it.

The wind blew through the city streets, tossing Nil’s hair into his face and whipping around him. Shifting the bags in his hands, he freed one to shove back the black strands, looking up to the darkening sky. They had been predicting a bad storm and it looked like it would finally be rolling in soon.

Setting down the groceries he had run down the street to get, Nil tied his hair back to keep it out of the way. He was only a few blocks away from home, so he grabbed his bags and picked up his pace, his long legs eating up the pavement.

Aloy was already home, absorbed in her current project - a new mod for her bow that was supposed to help with the tension - but Avad wasn’t supposed to be back for another hour or two. He was stuck at work, helping Marad with some project, but Nil hoped he’d make it back before the rain started. He himself had only run to the store for a few snacks so they could settle in and enjoy the rain that night. They didn’t always get a night all together since the other two were busy more often than not and he took advantage of the free time to hang out with friends. 

A pitiful mewling rose from the alley beside him and Nil’s footsteps slowed. Looking into the shadows, he didn’t see anything but when it came again, he took a few steps towards the sound.

The little squeaks grew painfully quiet as he made his way further in. Nil couldn’t see any evidence of a cat until he picked up one of the boxes tossed carelessly into a corner. The movement revealed a tiny kitten, dark fur that was covered in dirt and grime standing on end as it hissed futilely at the tall man. 

Making sure the kitten couldn’t run around him and escape, Nil eyed the rest of the alley quickly. No sign of a mama cat or anything else. As he turned back to the little thing, he could believe it. It might have been three pounds soaking wet, absolutely malnourished and so small he wasn’t sure how it had survived on it’s own. 

As he was debating what to do, Nil felt a drop fall onto his cheek. Looking up, he saw the roiling clouds and knew there was no way this kitten was going to make it through the coming storm by itself. 

Crouching down despite the stains on the ground, Nil shifted his bags slowly off to the side. He tried to make himself as unthreatening as possible, compacting his broad form and reaching out a hand about halfway to the shivering creature. 

Giant blue eyes stared back at him suspiciously but the baby only hissed at him a little before stretching its head out the barest bit. Encouraged by the movement, Nil rifled through the bag closest to him for the container of meat and cheese that he knew was in there. It took some finagling, but he finally got it open and grabbed a little piece of ham to offer to the kitten. 

At the smell of food, the dark fuzzball edged out of its defensive stance to sidle closer to him. When he was almost close enough to touch, it sniffed at the offering before snatching it out of his hand and darting back to its hiding spot. Ideally, he’d gain its trust before taking it home, but the storm was not giving him any leeway. When it had devoured that bit, he grabbed another piece of meat and when the kitten moved to grab it, he picked it up in his other hand. 

The little thing struggled against his grip, but he let it keep the food and that helped appease it. Besides, with how weak and small it was, it could barely do anything. It fit in the palm of his hand, looking even tinier in his big grip. Nil felt his gaze soften as he gentled his hold, brushing his thumb along the dirty fur.

Grabbing his bags, Nil made sure to cradle the kitten against his body as he made his way home. By the time he was walking into their apartment, it had mostly resigned itself to its fate and let him carry it without struggle. 

As soon as he opened the door, Aloy turned to ask, “Nil, did you get the- what is that.” 

“A kitten,” he said softly. Tossing her a little look, he admonished, “Don’t be too loud, you might scare it.”

Aloy bit back the retort that she was undoubtedly preparing. Getting up from her desk, she moved over to stand in front of her, curiously peering at the little bundle in his hand. “Where did you find it?” she whispered. 

“In the alley over by the gas station. It was going to drown in the storm,” he said mournfully, his voice just as quiet.

Green eyes threaded through with gold flicked to him as Aloy gave him a look that was half exasperation and half adoration. Nil smiled at her crookedly. “I couldn’t leave it there.”

“Let me get some milk.” Slipping the bags from his other hand, Aloy strode around the corner to the kitchen. 

Before he sat, Nil went to grab one of the older towels from the bathroom. Spreading it out awkwardly with one hand on the living room floor, he settled down on top of it. He formed a makeshift cage with his legs and sat the little thing down on the towel in between them. It stared up at him suspiciously for a few moments before moving to sniff around the grand space it was given. 

Aloy came up behind him bearing a little bowl full of milk and kneeling beside him to set it next to the kitten. It shied away from her hand but as soon as she retreated, it crept forward to inspect the new offering. As soon as it tested the liquid with a little lick, it started drinking as fast as it could. Nil worried for a moment whether it would be too much for the little creature to handle but soon enough it stopped to curl up into a little ball. 

“Curious little thing, isn’t it?” Aloy murmured. 

Nil hummed. “Reminds me of someone.” She hit his shoulder lightly. Laughing under his breath, Nil reached out to brush his fingers gently against its fur. “You saw those fierce eyes, huntress. I’m tempted to name it after you.” 

His girlfriend scoffed. “You haven’t even checked to see what sex the poor thing is.” 

“I was too busy being a gallant savior,” he said grandly. 

“It needs a bath anyway.” Gently, Aloy reached out to cradle the kitten in her hands before instructing Nil to get the sink filled with water. He led the way to the bathroom, plugging the sink and filling it with lukewarm water. “Grab that hand towel and help me get it clean.” 

It took a little time but eventually they got all the muck cleaned out of its fur and Aloy checked its sex. “Well?”

“This little one is a girl,” Aloy crooned at the kitten. Nil had never heard her sound quite this sweet and he watched her fondly as she handled their tiny new pet. Her brilliant eyes met his as she dried the kitten with one of their clean towels. “Are we going to keep her?”

Nil let a charming grin overtake him. “I was hoping so, little huntress. But we’d better ask Avad, too.” 

“He adores cats,” she said dismissively. “Cats, dogs, pretty much any animal. He’ll be fine with this, won’t he, little kitty?” The last comment was directed at the kitten, once again falling asleep in her arms. 

Black fur now gleamed, darker than the shadows he’d found her in and making her appear bigger than he knew she was now that it was fluffed out and clean. Her little fangs flashed in a big yawn as her big blue eyes closed tight. For the nervous thing that had struggled against him, the food and bath must have settled her enough to feel safe with them. 

Cautiously, Aloy transferred her back into Nil’s care and they made their way to the couch. She snagged her phone on the way, but settled down against Nil so she could occasionally run her fingers along the kitten’s spine. 

Fiddling around on her phone, she looked up article after article about caring for stray kittens. Every time she found something they needed to know, she would comment about it to him and Nil listened to her quietly ramble about everything they would need to care for the kitten. 

“I’m going to text Avad to pick some things up,” she muttered. “We got lucky; she was probably too tired to fight back tonight, but she’ll be a handful tomorrow.” 

Nil glanced out of the window. The rain had started but it wasn’t heavy yet so hopefully Avad would have the time to get a few supplies. In the meantime, he kept the kitten safe in his hands, fast asleep. 

When Avad did come home, his hands were full with the pet cage he had bought, among other things. His eyes fell on the little black kitten and lit with understanding. “I had wondered why Aloy suddenly gave me a shopping list fit for a newborn kitten.” 

Setting down all his purchases, Avad joined them to marvel at the new life in their apartment. 

Over the next couple hours, the three of them set up the enclosure for their little pet. Using all the research Aloy had found, they did the best they could and settled the kitten inside the cage now pushed into the corner of the living room. 

Leaving the kitten alone to sleep and get used to her surroundings, the three of them settled onto the couch for the movie night they had originally planned. By now, the rain was pounding against the ground outside and occasional flashes of lightning lit up the dark sky. 

“What should we name her?” Avad mused, the question coming seemingly out of nowhere. 

They all considered that for a moment. “Something important,” Nil finally said. “She’s a fighter, I can tell.”

“Artemis,” Aloy said suddenly. Her voice was firm, a command more than a request as she gazed over at the little kitten exploring her cage. “We should name her Artemis.” 

The boys exchanged an amused glance. “Artemis it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been an idea of ours from the very beginning that these three adopt a cat and Nil was always gonna be the one to bring home the new kitty. 
> 
> Fic rec this time is Team Hailfire: Aloy & Ikrie by queenofkadara!! It's a wonderful series that is, you guessed it, centered around aloykrie and I adore it so much, there's not nearly enough fic of that ship.


	6. A Different Kind of Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aloy finds herself the prey in a little hunt devised by Nil out in the wilds of the Sacred Lands. 
> 
> Tags: smut, semi-public smut, roleplay, light dom/sub, outdoors sex

Aloy’s breath came fast as she ran, trying to weave her way through the trees while making as little noise as possible. Her pursuer was close by; she could almost feel his eyes on her. 

Thankfully, this was her home field. She’d grown up in these woods and she knew every bit of these trails better than he would ever know them. And she wasn’t about to make this easy on him. With a feral grin, Aloy veered off onto an older trail.

She and Vala had spent years racing through this land, trying to figure out who was faster or stronger or more cunning. And now she was putting those races to good use. She’d once taken this trail as a shortcut to beat Vala - it was full of fallen trees and gaps but it led into the deeper parts of the woods where most of the hunters out and about right now wouldn’t find her. 

Despite her efforts, the one she was truly running from still felt like he was closing in on her. There weren’t any outward signs of his tracking her, but she knew how good he was and just how enticed he was by the prize he would win. His only true obstacle was that she was just as determined not to lose as he was to win, so she put on another burst of speed to put some distance between them. 

Aloy was passing through a thick copse of trees when he finally caught her. 

One moment, she was weaving through the trunks and the next, she was caught. As if out of nowhere, an arm thick with corded muscle closed around her stomach, dragging her back against a hard body. A hand caught the fist she aimed behind her and held it fast as she tried to wriggle out of his grasp. 

“Caught you, little huntress,” whispered a deep, sultry voice in her ear.

Heartbeat pounding through her, Aloy’s struggle only intensified. She would not be beaten at this game. Stomping down on the instep of his boot, Aloy managed to twist away from his arm to swing around and face the man who had been hunting her. 

Taller than her by over half a foot, the man had broad shoulders and the strength he’d held her with showed even through the dark clothes he was wearing. Black hair caught back in a bun would normally have framed the sharp angle of his jaw but for now his face was bereft of both that and the makeup that usually lined his eyes. Those playful grey eyes sparkled as he faced off with her and a triumphant grin tilted those lips she had kissed a thousand times. 

“No more running, my love?” He was deliberately taunting her, that deep voice urging her to both give up and keep fighting.

It wasn’t like she wouldn’t enjoy his reward as well. 

But Aloy didn’t have it in her to give up like that and they both knew it. So he didn’t show any surprise whatsoever when she darted away from his hold. Dropping to a couch, she swept his legs out from underneath him and Nil fell with a gasp as the thud drove the air from his lungs. 

She only lingered to taunt him with a, “Good try, sweetheart,” before sprinting back towards the mountains. 

This time he didn’t even try to mask his pursuit. Aloy heard every muttered curse and rustle of leaves as Nil sprinted after her and it made her laugh ring through the air. When he’d proposed this little game this morning, her blood had lit with excitement at the challenge, but this was even more fun than she had anticipated. 

Back when she and Vala had their little fling in high school, they had some fun like this, but having Nil _chase_ her was so tantalizing. In so many ways, he was her equal. They competed at archery, tracking, wrestling, everything she’d ever learned growing up, and this was just another competition to find out who could come out on top. While every other Nora would be out tracking game for the feast later that night, Nil was tracking _her._

Even now, Aloy knew the only reason she heard him is because he let her. For someone who had never been officially trained in how to move in the woods, he had an exceptional level of skill. He’d honed it even more by now, between her more frequent visits to the Sacred Lands and the trips they made to their local state parks. Sometimes Avad would accompany them on hikes, but when it came to this kind of thing… All bets were off between them. 

Thoughts stuck on the man behind her, Aloy tripped slightly on one of the trees that had fallen more recently. She cursed under her breath and was up again in an instant, but it only took that long for Nil to catch up. 

Slamming into her from behind, he didn’t use the gentle approach he had before. Instead, he tackled her to the ground, trapping her beneath the length of his body. His hands closed around her wrists like steel traps, pinning them. 

Bucking her hips back, Aloy tried to throw him but all that did was make him press his hips down against her. If she had been worried whether or not he was enjoying this before, she wasn’t now. The hard evidence of his enjoyment was now pressed against her ass and the next time he rocked against her, it was purely sexual. 

Aloy bit back the groan that rose through her. “Having fun?” she asked acidly, her voice just slightly breathless despite herself. 

Kissing her cheek where her face was turned to keep from eating dirt, Nil laughed. “You’re the one who accepted this little challenge, Aloy. Don’t hate me for having a one-track mind.” 

Deciding it might be better to play into his game a bit, Aloy changed tactics. If she didn’t fall victim to her own machinations, this might actually work. The next time she writhed underneath him, her intent matched his own. Her hips rolled back into him, teasing him as she met his gaze with a seductive look. 

“How could I hate you for wanting the same thing I want?” 

Undeterred, Nil gave her an amused look. “I’m not going to fall for that trick, huntress. You’re not the type to seduce me into submission.”

“No,” she said, letting her body relax in defeat. When she felt the tension leave him just the tiniest bit, she twisted her hips to push him off. Taking advantage of his lack of balance, Aloy rolled to push him all the way down, straddling his hips. “That’s your style.”

This time, she was the one to pin _his_ wrists to the ground, but his only reaction was a loud laugh that filled the air around them. “There’s my little spitfire! What are you going to do with me now that you’ve caught, oh great one?”

His gleeful grin brought out her own little smile, adrenaline rushing through her at her win. But when she opened her mouth to reply, Nil rocked his hips up against her and Aloy cried out. 

From how she had him pinned down, he had the perfect leverage to thrust up against her, the hard length of his cock pressing against her core even through their multiple layers of clothing. His distraction lasted long enough for him to slide his legs up so his feet were braced on the ground and he could flip them one last time. 

This time, Nil didn’t even bother to restrain her hands. She would have taken advantage of his mistake but instead he hiked her legs up with a hand under each thigh so he could press against her even harder. Instead of fighting him, her fingers tangled in the fabric of his shirt and tightened until her knuckles turned white. The next time he thrust against her, she moved with him, wishing there was nothing between them as her mind blurred with need. 

A dozen different ways to overpower him still ran through her head and she could have pursued any of them, but her desire to do anything else but let him have his way with her fizzled out with his kiss. Hard enough to take her breath away, Nil crushed his lips to hers. Aloy responded with her own fire, all of her fight transformed into the rough kiss she craved. 

Moaning against her, Nil let go of one of her legs to slip his hand under the hem of her shirt. The warmth of his big hand made her gasp even before it moved higher to palm one of her breasts through her bra. He fondled her roughly, as her hips jerked unsteadily against his. She hooked her free leg around his waist to get a better angle and Nil’s next thrust hit her perfectly, rubbing against her clit and making her whimper against his lips. 

“Let’s get rid of some of these layers, shall we?” her boyfriend mused. His voice was only a little unsteady, his desire to bring her to the edge of euphoria always stronger than his own need to give into her at these times. Aloy jerked her head in some semblance of a nod and Nil drew back from her just long enough to strip her pants and underwear off. He didn’t bother to take off her boots, wasting no time in hooking his hands under her ass and hefting her off the ground.

Aloy squeaked as he hauled her up with pure strength, standing gracefully as she wrapped her legs around his hips. He never ceased to amaze her, all those muscles put to good use as he slammed her against one of the nearby trees. He swallowed her gasp with another kiss, pressing against her until she wasn’t able to do anything but beg. 

“Please, Nil-”

Instead of the usual teasing her would needle her with, his only reaction was to reach down and fumble at his pants. Aloy moved to help, pulling out his cock when he had his ties undone and stroking his hard length as he moved to grip her hips tightly. Unable to wait any longer, Aloy dragged the tip of his cock along her wet folds, lining him up when she couldn’t take it anymore. “Now. Nil, fuck me, _please-”_

Nil thrust into her, hard and fast. He filled her completely, pressing into her until he bottomed out and Aloy dropped her head back against the tree holding her up. Gasping for breath, she clawed at her lover’s shoulders as he pulled out just to slam back into her, as beautifully hard as the first time. Using his hold on her hips, Nil jerked her against him as he set a rough pace, every stroke sinking into her with reckless abandon. 

“Fuck, Aloy,” he ground out through gritted teeth. Opening her eyes to look at him wildly, Aloy saw him smile viciously at her. “You’re so fucking tight, huntress. Tight and hot and so damn perfect for me.” 

His words made her clench around him even more, spasming as his cock dragged against her walls at a blissful angle. Their rhythm got her so close to the edge that she keened when he stopped altogether, buried all the way inside her. Shifting his weight, Nil pulled one of her hands from his shoulder and brought it up to his lips. She thought he might kiss it, but instead his tongue came out to lick up the length of her middle fingers. The noise she let out when he sucked them into his mouth wasn’t human and he laughed as he pulled them out again. 

Clasping her hand tight, he guided it down her breasts and stomach, over the patch of curls now damp with sweat and arousal, to the little bud of her pleasure. Aloy’s whole body jerked as he pressed her fingers down, guiding her in the rhythm he wanted until she caught on. Once she was stroking herself roughly, Nil returned his hand to her side, shifting her hips forward so he could pound into her once again.

The combination of his hard thrusts and her fingers were too much and Aloy came, screaming her release loud enough she was sure the whole of the Sacred Lands could hear her. The only thing she could feel was pure ecstasy, his pace only speeding up as her pussy clenched around him as wave upon wave hit her. Unable to keep up her strokes, Aloy’s hand dropped to grasp at the tree behind her. 

Before she could even take a breath, Nil’s hand replaced hers, his thumb pressing against her clit hard enough that she saw stars. Unable to even think, Aloy trembled as another orgasm overtook her. Through the haze, she felt Nil pump into her one last time, dropping his head onto her shoulder with a broken groan as he spent himself inside her. 

As she came down from her high, Aloy’s breaths slowed. She reached out to brush her hands against Nil’s chest, sliding up so she could cradle the nape of his neck and play with the strands of hair that had escaped his bun. “So that was a fun game,” she mused.

Nil laughed breathlessly, slipping his arms around her waist to hug her tight against him. “This might be my favorite game, little huntress.” 

Pulling her away from the tree, Nil let her drop her legs to the ground but kept her close as she regained her sense of balance. Once she was steady, she bent to grab her pants, knowing she would be unfortunately wet the entirely time they stayed out to hunt down their food. As she slipped them on, she felt Nil’s hands on her back, brushing away the bark and dirt that was undoubtedly smashed into her shirt. 

When he was done, he pulled her back against him, seemingly unwilling to let her stray very far from his arms. “Any way I could convince you to skip the hunt and go back and find Avad for another round?” he purred as he kissed her neck. 

Laughing, Aloy extricated herself from hold. “Did you just suggest ditching a _hunt?_ Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend?” 

Stalking after her, Nil grinned. “What can I say? Something about my bond with you and our princeling being blessed by the Nora makes me want to devour you.” 

“Well, you’ll have to practice your patience then,” she responded pertly, leading him back towards the areas where her screams wouldn’t have scared off every animal within range. After all, they had a hunt to finish, whether he liked it or not. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really loving this whole alternating between intense fluff and intense angst thing lmao
> 
> Fic rec this week is Life After Shadow by portabello_road! I actually haven't read this one yet but she just passed the record for longest HZD fic in terms of word count!! It's an alvad and I'm very excited to read it once my mind starts letting me read things again.


	7. Goodnight, My Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nil used to wake up from his nightmares alone - but not anymore. 
> 
> Hurt/comfort, kinda short but it's so fucking emotional it wrecks me.

Searing pain woke him from the nightmare. 

Nil jolted upright, unable to stop the shaking terror that stole through him. Images of his father flashed before his eyes, raising his hand, throwing a bottle, cursing his name. 

No light shone through the curtains, the dead of night still holding court, and the darkness pressed in on him. Wrapping his arms around himself, Nil curled inwards, choking on the memories. His breaths came faster and faster, overwhelming him until a warm hand fell on his back. 

“Sweetheart?”

Avad’s voice, husky with sleep and deeper than usual, gave him an anchor to cling to. 

The first time he’d had a nightmare in the bed they shared, Nil had tried to keep quiet, not wanting to wake the others and make them deal with his panic. Aloy had woken anyway, had calmed him down until he could lay back in her arms as she spoke about anything and everything to distract him. His nightmares came less frequently than they ever had before, but he knew that they would be there to soothe him. 

So when he felt Avad sit up beside him, Nil didn’t hesitate to turn and curl into him. Shifting slightly, Avad caught him and his arms lifted to wrap around his waist, pulling him in even closer. Nil buried his face in Avad’s shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of the shampoo he used as a few curls tickled his face. 

Desperate to cover the memories, Nil drowned himself in his lover. His touch and scent and the way he crooned his name so quietly. 

“Sahad, my love, you’re here. You’re with us. You’re okay.” Rocking him back and forth ever so slightly, Nil began to relax inch by inch. 

Their other partner stirred behind him. “Nil?” 

“Nightmare,” Avad answered for him, the whisper loud in the quiet of their bedroom. Squeezing his waist in thanks for answering when he still wasn’t sure he could speak, Nil felt Aloy’s hand press against his back below Avad’s. 

He shivered at her cool touch, the shocking sensation grounding him as much as the sound of her voice. “It’s okay, we’ve got you.” He felt the bed move as she shifted and then she was pressed up against him, her arms joining Avad’s as she hugged him from behind and he was sandwiched between them. 

Gingerly, Nil slipped one of his hands in front of him to cover her own. Aloy brushed a kiss over his shoulder blade in response, snuggling against his back like he was a pillow.

The three of them stayed like that for countless minutes, as his heartbeat slowed and the memories receded. Even still, Nil didn’t think he would be able to sleep until Avad started singing. 

Nil had never heard the song, but that didn’t matter. The sound of his boyfriend’s deep voice flowing through the lullaby was more important than the language he sang in. One of Avad’s hands traced up his back, until he could brush away the hair stuck to his forehead and kiss his sweat touched brow. 

Another memory surfaced, but this time his father was nowhere to be found. Instead, another voice blended with Avad’s, feminine and light, singing a different lullaby that somehow merged together with his. With his eyes closed tight, Nil saw his mother. Stormy gray eyes and long dark hair framed a delicately beautiful face and he felt a tear slip down his cheek. 

He didn’t have any pictures of her, hadn’t remembered her face in so long but there she was. Nothing else about the memory surfaced, whether she was singing him to sleep or easing a little injury, only the sound of her voice and the pure love in her eyes as she smiled down at him. 

“Thank you,” he choked out, his voice muffled against Avad’s skin. 

His boyfriend’s only response was to kiss him again, his voice barely pausing as he kept singing softly. Nil let the memory of his mother and the feeling of being surrounded by his partners lull him away from the painful nightmare that had woken him. 

Hazily, he felt Avad shift both him and Aloy back down so that they were curled against the sheets. He could feel the brush of Avad’s beautiful voice against his face and the vibration of his chest where his own was pressed against him and Nil fell back asleep knowing that he was loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title for this chapter was taken from the lullaby by Billy Joel - what Nil’s mother was singing to him as a child. 
> 
> Goodnight, my angel, time to close your eyes,  
> And save these questions for another day.  
> I think I know what you've been asking me,  
> I think you know what I've been trying to say.
> 
> I promised I would never leave you,  
> Then you should always know,  
> Wherever you may go, no matter where you are,  
> I never will be far away.
> 
> Goodnight, my angel, now it's time to sleep,  
> And still so many things I want to say.  
> Remember all the songs you sang for me,  
> When we went sailing on an emerald bay.
> 
> And like a boat out on the ocean,  
> I'm rocking you to sleep.  
> The water's dark and deep, inside this ancient heart,  
> You'll always be a part of me.
> 
> Goodnight, my angel, now it's time to dream,  
> And dream how wonderful your life will be.  
> Someday your child may cry, and if you sing this lullaby,  
> Then in your heart there will always be a part of me.
> 
> Someday we'll all be gone,  
> But lullabies go on and on,  
> They never die,  
> That's how you and I will be.


	8. Piercings & Pleasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aloy decides to get a new piercing and Nil has the experience to make sure she gets the most out of her decision. 
> 
> Applicable tags: smut, light bdsm, piercing kink (tiny blood mention but nothing gross or intense), light masochism

Aloy shifted her weight from first one foot to the other, anxious energy trying to work its way out when she didn’t have the option of running off to any of her usual outlets. 

The tattoo parlor she and Nil were waiting in looked like any other. Dark walls were covered in selections of each artist’s work, corresponding to the workstations sectioned off along the length of the giant room. Towards the back was a little section portioned off and more private - meant for exactly the reason they were there. 

“Are you nervous, oh brave one?” 

Throwing him a half-hearted glare, Aloy paced over to where her boyfriend sat. Kicking his feet where they had them stretched out in front of him, Aloy planted her hands on her hips. “And weren’t you when you got them done?”

He gave her a slow smile, one that lit her up from the inside out. “Kitten, I was _thrilled_ to get mine done.” 

Aloy huffed before plopping down on the chair next to him. “You actually like the pain though.”

“And you don’t?” he asked innocently. 

Smacking his arm lightly, Aloy decided that question didn’t deserve an answer. 

She’d tossed around the idea of getting her nipples pierced several times, even before she met Nil. He’d explained the whole process to her and she’d finally decided to just make the leap. If she didn’t like them, she could always take them out, but she was never one to shy away from new things simply out of nerves.

So here they were. Avad had opted not to join since he wasn’t the biggest fan of needles (despite his own array of ear piercings that Aloy had teased him about), but Nil wasn’t going to let her come alone. In all honesty, he was probably even more excited for this than she was. When she’d asked him why, he had given her that same devilish smile and told her he’d rather show her afterwards. 

“Aloy Sobeck?”

Looking up, Aloy caught the eye of the piercer and made her way back over to the piercing room. “Yes, that’s me.”

The woman’s eyes flicked to Nil behind her but when Aloy didn’t protest his presence, she let them both into the room before closing the door. She had the little bag in hand with the jewelry Aloy had picked out and was looking over the sheet she’d filled out at the front. 

“Ever gotten your nipples pierced before?” The piercer’s voice was bored, having gone through this a thousand times before, Aloy guessed. When she shook her head, the woman launched into the explanation of the process as well as the healing time and cleaning procedure. When she asked Aloy again if she wanted them, she nodded decisively and the piercer began pulling out the things she would need. 

“Are you a fainter?” The piercer’s fingers flicked at the jewelry in Aloy’s ears.

Ignoring Nil’s derisive snort, Aloy answered, “No. No issues with needles or pain, either.” 

“Good, that’ll help. Shirt and bra off please.”

Stripping off the garments, Aloy handed them to Nil to hold for her. He grinned at her boyishly when she covered her breasts to stave off the slight chill of the room and she gave him a chiding look. “Stop that.”

“What?” he asked innocently. “I’m not allowed to enjoy the view?”

“Not when the view is about to get stuck with needles.”

The piercer was the one to let out an amused grunt this time but then she was all business as she readied the first piercing. Aloy had decided to do both at once, too impatient to bother going through the extensive healing time twice. So for the first time that hour, Aloy let the woman use a set of pincers to pinch her nipple and let out a deep breath as the thick needle pierced her skin. 

The pain was over in a flash, the needle replaced by a little bar that the piercer expertly inserted and closed off with a little ball on the end. There ended up being only a little blood, but the woman dabbed at it lightly with some gauze before cautiously slipping on a bandage. 

Just like that, Aloy was halfway done and the piercer moved to prep the second one. Nil gave her a reassuring smile when she looked his way and Aloy shook her head. Had she been the kind of woman who needed it, she knew Nil would hold her hand and let her faint on him, but he knew she could handle this just fine. His presence was all she had really wanted. 

The second piercing went just as quick as the first and after some extra notes from the piercer, Aloy was paying up and headed out with Nil’s hand in hers and her bra shoved in her pocket. Her breasts were sore, of course, but all in all, it wasn’t nearly as bad as she thought it would be. 

“So? Are you going to tell me now?”

“Tell you what?” Nil looked over his shoulder at her inquisitively. 

“Why you were excited about me getting these. I assume it’s something more than just that they’d look nice since you said you’d _show_ me.” Curiosity drove her to ask, though she knew full well that it likely had something to do with the way he reacted when she or Avad would toy with his piercings when they wanted to drive him wild.

“You’ll still have to wait a few months for that, little huntress.”

“Nil!”

***

The healing period for nipple piercings was irritatingly long and Aloy had been tempted more than once just to take them out and give up. But she also refused to do that and soldiered through. She’d forgone a bra for a long time, thanking the goddess for the fact that her breasts were small enough to get away with that relatively easily. 

The worst part was using her bow. It had taken some finagling to get a hang of how to shoot while compensating for her aching chest but she’d refused to _not_ shoot for several months. Eventually she got used to taking care of them and making sure not to touch them. Keeping her boyfriends’ hands off her breasts was a different beast altogether. She’d taken to smacking their hands like they were children if they tried for it. Avad usually just forgot, but Nil would specifically taunt her and he got the sharp end of her tongue more than once, though he’d laugh it off every time. 

It was more than a handful of months down the line when the piercings had healed enough for Nil to finally show her what he’d wanted to. 

Nil slicked his tongue over the piercing and Aloy gasped. Despite the months since they had first been pierced, her nipples were still so sensitive and neglected that the pressure of his tongue on the tender flesh sent streaks of heat spiraling through her body.

She tried to arch into him but his hands on her waist stopped her. "You have to let me set the pace, kitten. I know how sore they are but I promise it'll feel good."

Aloy whimpered as his tongue resumed it's torture. She wasn't afraid of the pain, she wanted more. She’d gone so long without anyone touching her there that she _needed_ more. 

Thankfully, he gave it to her. Gently biting around the bar now piercing her skin, Nil looked up at her with heated silver eyes. When he tugged softly at the metal, Aloy gasped and her eyes rolled back at the pleasure it caused. With a dark chuckle, Nil closed his lips around the tip and sucked, something that normally felt wonderful and now felt a thousand times more powerful. Adding to her delicious torment, his fingers played with her other breast, teasing around her nipple then tugging at the matching bar until Aloy felt tears gathering in her eyes from all the places her body was aching with need.

“Nil, oh goddess-”

“See, huntress? I told you that you’d like it more once I showed it to you.” The seductive lilt of his tone only made her writhe more under his hands as his cool breath washed over her wet nipple and made it stiffen further. 

He hadn’t even touched her anywhere else and she could already feel the heat coiling inside her and turning to liquid pleasure. Aloy clutched at the sheets of their bed futilely, unable to feel grounded when he sucked at her piercing again. She hadn’t known her nipple could be this sensitive and every stroke of his tongue and pinch of his fingers drove her higher. 

“Is this,” she panted, “Is this what it feels like for you?” 

Nil hummed with his mouth still on her, the vibrations giving her another little round of overwhelming heat. “You’re more sensitive now than you will be later,” he mused when he pulled back. His other hand came up to play with the breast he’d been teasing and he pinched her nipples simultaneously, making her arch and cry out with abandon. “But having you play with my piercings is still infinitely maddening.” 

None of his touches had been harder than she could take, every move calculated to be considerate of the fact that she was still healing. The dizzying idea of what this would feel like later when he could be rougher with her made Aloy’s head spin. 

She lost track of time as Nil ducked back to lick and nip at her other breast. Teasing her seemed to be his only goal and he drew out his blissful torment until her breasts were aching and Aloy wasn’t sure how much longer she could stand it. 

When he finally left her tits alone, Nil shifted to strip off her underwear, already damp with the evidence of how much she’d enjoyed everything he had done to her. His fingers brushed over her slit and Aloy spread her legs further, desperate for him to soothe the aching he’d caused. 

“Ah kitten, you liked that, didn’t you?” he said seductively, his voice dark and lazy. 

“You know I did,” she gasped out as his thumb pressed over her clit. “Now stop t-talking and do something about it.” 

Nil grinned up at her and made sure she was watching as he pushed down his briefs to reveal his hardening cock. When Aloy tried to reach for him, Nil caught her hands and brought them to her breasts. “Try it yourself, huntress, but be gentle.” 

The combination of her own touch and the sight of Nil stroking his cock while watching her with hooded eyes made Aloy whimper in need. Tilting her hips, she rocked them towards him, hoping her would take the hint and actually fuck her the way she wanted him to. His free hand landed on her stomach, warm on her heated flesh as he dragged it down slowly to the apex of her thighs. His fingernails raked against the soft skin of her mound, through the damp curls and down to slip inside her.

Aloy gasped as he thrust his fingers in her a few times before retreating. He spread her wetness over his cock and instinctively her fingers pinched her nipples hard, making her eyes slam shut at the exquisite combination of pain and pleasure. Before she had the chance to recover, Nil’s hands fell to her waist and he pushed into her, shallow thrusts that went deeper with every push. 

Losing all control, Aloy’s hands fell from her breasts to clutch at the sheets once again. She rocked up against him, meeting his strong thrusts with the roll of her hips and broken moans. Each stroke heightened the sensation of his fingers swiping over her bud and the slow pace tore apart her control. When Nil dragged his hands up along her skin to cup her breasts, thumbs brushing lightly over their abused tips, Aloy came apart under him. 

Lightning traced through her veins and she cried out his name as ecstasy overtook her entirely. She heard Nil curse as she spasmed around him, felt his thrusts speed up until he pulled out of her entirely. Still caught in the aftershocks of her climax, Aloy lifted her lashes enough that she could watch him as he stroked himself to completion, spending himself on her stomach with a broken groan of his own. 

Limp and utterly content, Aloy took a few moments to breathe before reaching up to brush her fingers against his cheek and cupping it to run her thumb over his sharp cheekbone. Turning his head, Nil pressed a kiss to her palm before ducking down to kiss her mouth, lingering for another when that one wasn’t enough. 

“I’ll clean you up, little huntress,” he murmured before pulling back to sit on his heels. His grey gaze stroked down her form with enough residual heat that Aloy shivered, resting on her piercings and the evidence of his claiming. “I just so enjoy making a mess of you.” 

Letting her eyes drift closed again, Aloy nudged him with her knee. “If you promise to do all of that again, you’re welcome to make a mess of me anytime you want.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I utterly despise how long the healing time is for nipple piercings because otherwise, I’d get them too, but for now Aloy gets to have the life I want. 
> 
> Forgot to do one last week, but fic rec this week is [We Know Who Our Enemies Are](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24221377) by Kittleskittle! It’s probably my favorite Nil x Aloy AU of all time - they meet in the Sacred Lands during the Red Raids when Nil is still a kestrel and Aloy hasn’t lost everything yet. It’s so fucking good and I highly recommend it to everyone.


	9. Barbeque Chips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Avad decides to get high for the first time in his life and it's up to Nil and Aloy to take care of him. 
> 
> Tags: recreation drug use (they eat an edible, that's it), fluff, disgusting munchies craving
> 
> Art this week is by toxcatl and it's what initially inspired this outtake since we had been talking about the ot3 getting high. I love it dearly, especially Avad's slippers which are entirely canon.

She’d made a promise and now she had to keep it. Honestly, she hadn’t thought it would be a hard one to keep, but now Avad was trying to convince them that he needed barbeque chips and he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

Aloy should have known he was going to be high maintenance the first time he actually _got_ high. 

For years, he had declined to join her when she would occasionally partake, typically when she was hanging out with Erend or Talanah. Avad had always claimed the responsibility of being the sober driver or looking after her, never accepting when they offered. But this time, he’d finally caved.

Not that they had actually pressured him. After telling off his father and Nil becoming more settled into their relationship, Avad had been a bit more adventurous and confident and this just seemed to be one of those things he wanted to try. 

The three of them had gone to one of the Nora gatherings the weekend before - and gotten Nil blessed so they could all sleep together with no worries of getting caught - and Aloy had run into Karst. The community’s main supplier of weed and other recreational supplies, she’d known Karst since her wayward teen years. Even now that weed was legal in Colorado, Karst got offended any time he thought she might buy from anyone else, so he usually found her anytime she came home. He’d sweet talked his way into getting her to buy some of his new edibles this time so she’d come home laden with some of the fun kind of chocolate. 

Unsurprisingly, Nil was up for a night at home getting buzzed. Avad was the real unknown.

“Can I try one?” he had asked tentatively when she pulled out one of the bars. Aloy blinked at him in silence, until red infused his cheeks and he huffed, crossing his arms. “What?”

“You’ve never even been interested in trying weed, Avad. Are you sure?” Shock and concern pitched her voice higher than normal and Avad still looked affronted.

“Yes,” he answered firmly, but his determination turned a touch shy the next moment as his gaze flicked between the two of them. “As long as you promise not to let me do anything stupid.” 

Aloy and Nil had promised, so they broke off matching pieces and introduced Avad to his first taste. Impatient now that he had taken the leap, he got antsy when it didn’t kick in right away and they’d had to keep him from grabbing more. It didn’t take too much longer after that to kick in and since then, Aloy and Nil had been having fun teasing Avad about being the lightweight he was. He’d been an absolute chatterbox, ranting about any- and everything and giggling his way through his words. 

“I should have known you’d be a bubbly one,” Nil drawled. He was splayed out in the middle of the couch, arms thrown over the back and head tilted so he could smile at their boyfriend. 

Avad pouted dramatically. From his perch on Nil’s other side, he had his legs pulled up under him, turned towards the both of them so they had his full attention. Well, as much of his attention as he could give. He reached out to poke Nil’s unguarded ribs, doing it again when Nil shivered and grabbed at his hand playfully. “You like it when I’m bubbly, _pretty boy.”_

With a delighted grin, Nil tugged on him until he was off balance and falling all over him. Avad was too busy laughing to kiss him back properly but Nil didn’t let that deter him as he showered his face in kisses. 

Watching them both from her position snuggled up against Nil’s other side, warmth spread through Aloy that wasn’t entirely the drug’s fault. These were her favorite moments with them, when they could relax and just be close and happy. It had taken a long time and a lot of growth for her to get here and she was beyond overjoyed to have them in her life. Languid contentment settled in her veins and Aloy was satisfied just watching her boys taunt and tease each other.

That was, until Avad declared he needed food. 

They tried to stay well stocked with food - and since they’d prepared for the night, they had plenty of snacks on hand - but none of it was what he wanted. 

Carelessly letting the cabinets bang shut, Avad pawed through their food and whined when he didn’t find what he was looking for. “Why didn’t we get chips when we went to the store?”

“We did get chips, sweetheart, they’re right there.” Aloy covered her mouth to prevent a laugh from escaping as he turned to where she was pointing. She couldn’t hold it back when he whirled back to look at her with a face full of betrayal. 

“Barbeque chips, Aloy. I need _barbeque_ chips.”

“You didn’t say barbeque chips, darling, you just said chips.” The combination of the loose tranquility running through her and Avad’s pure adorableness had her using the endearments she normally eschewed and Aloy couldn’t even find it in her to mind. 

Heading towards the door, Avad stumbled as he grabbed for his shoes. Nil was up in an instant, his own normal grace only slightly stunted by the edible but still entirely capable enough to snatch Avad’s shoes from him. 

“Hey!” Avad lunged for his shoes, fumbling his steps again as Nil held them above his head high enough that his shorter boyfriend couldn’t reach. “Give those back. I need to go buy chips! Nil!”

“Nuh uh, princeling,” he reprimanded before tossing the shoes over to Aloy. 

Avad whirled on her but she was already off, racing to their bedroom to toss the shoes in. She had just pulled the door closed when her boyfriend skidded to a stop in front of her. Leaning back, she blocked his way. “Nope. Not allowed to go out when you’re high.” 

His eyes narrowed at her but before he said anything, Nil piped up from the kitchen. 

“We have barbeque sauce that you can dip the chips in?”

Aloy gagged but Avad perked up. Forgetting the shoes, he went to join Nil in the kitchen and she cautiously left her post. When they joined her on the couch again, Avad had a bowl full of chips and the container of barbeque sauce that he poured straight on it. She couldn’t help the disgusted look she gave them when Nil dug into the concoction as well. 

“You’re both gross,” she muttered. 

“You’re not allowed to say that until you’ve tried it,” Avad responded haughtily. With that, he took a chip and brought it up to her lips. “Come on, Aloy, try it.” He drew out her name pleadingly until she wrinkled her nose.

“Fine, but only if it makes you shut up.”

Wearing a triumphant grin, Avad fed her the chip when she grudgingly parted her lips and watched her excitedly. 

It really wasn’t _terrible,_ but she definitely didn’t want more. “Nope. Gross.” 

Avad pouted at her but he slumped against Nil while the two of them ate their way through the rest of the bowl. How he managed to talk just as much while eating, Aloy didn’t know. By the time they got to the bottom, the combination of his voice and the edible had lulled her into a sleepy haze. 

By then, it had been a few hours since they had eaten their chocolate and Aloy was hoping Avad wouldn’t be one of the ones who lasted a long time. Tugging on his sleeve, she asked, “Can we go lie down?” The idea of cuddling before they all passed out was ridiculously appealing to her right then but she didn’t want to admit that. 

Avad capitulated, but only after they refused to give him any more chips. She did _not_ want him throwing up later. He hung on her the entire way to their bedroom, clingier than he ever was with his arms draped over her shoulders and their strides significantly shortened by the tangling of their legs. Laughing behind them, Nil did absolutely nothing to help her. 

When they fell onto the bed, Avad immediately sat up and began talking about all the different ways he had considered painting them in this bed. Aloy’s cheeks heated at the thought but she also mused that maybe next time, they should cover all the furniture and let him paint anything he wanted. Avad painting while high as a kite sounded like the perfect form of entertainment. He got such an intense look whenever he painted that she wanted to see what it was like when he was this irrepressible.

Plopping down between them, Nil had stripped himself of most of his clothes and snuggled in. Aloy knew from past experience that he had a tendency to get paranoid when his high started to fade so she let her fingers play over his skin while she propped herself up on her side. Hopefully, her touch would help center him before he started to fret about whether he’d locked his motorcycle or if the government was plotting the deaths of his favorite band. 

Eventually, Avad began to run out of steam. When he yawned so hard she heard his jaw crack, Aloy smiled at him. “Time to crash, sleepyhead?” 

“Nooo,” he complained, “I want to stay up longer.” 

Goddess, he was adorable. “We can do this again sometime soon, okay?”

Avad hummed. “Fine.” 

Aloy rolled out of bed to check that the front door was locked and the lights were off. By the time she got back to them, Avad was splayed out on top of Nil and looked to be mostly gone already. Crawling into bed next to them, she kissed first Nil then Avad on the forehead. “Goodnight, boys.” 

Nil murmured his goodnight but Avad was the one who mumbled, “Thank you for taking care of me. I love you both.”

Brushing his curls back, Aloy kissed him again. “Anything for you, sweetheart.” 

Utterly relaxed, Aloy let sleep take her as she stayed curled up with her loves. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah lol this is the cracky fluff that I love and I was laughing the entire time I was editing this. 
> 
> Fic rec this week is Plots & Plans by Kittleskittle! It's a collection of oneshots she's started posting for her Red Raids au, We Know Who Our Enemies Are, and it's that good shit.


	10. An Unexpected Seduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Avad drags Nil out shopping with him and ends up turning the tables on him after Nil reminds him exactly why he loves him. 
> 
> Starts out extremely fluffy and sweet and then just gets really dirty, I have no excuse honestly. 
> 
> Tags: smut, semi-public smut

“Come on, pretty boy, you know you want to.”

Avad staunchly ignored his boyfriend, forging ahead through the market. The holidays were still months off, but he liked to have gifts picked out far ahead of time, especially since this year he’d be deep in the throws of his dissertation once the semester started picking up. None of them really celebrated Christmas or a true equivalent, but they exchanged gifts anyway. 

Hence, shopping for Aloy with their extremely annoying boyfriend. And by annoying, he meant horny and more than willing to tease Avad because he knew it would make him blush. He’d long since stopped trying to figure out which of those reasons was actually at the forefront of his teasing.

Despite his silence, Nil followed him as they wandered to the next stall. The throng of people wandering throughout the outdoor market was chaotic enough that Avad kept track of him as they made their own way. As much as he could do without the comments that made his face burn, he would rather not lose his boyfriend in this crowd. 

Unfortunately, the amount of people did not deter his insane lover and Nil just ducked closer to whisper, “You know, we could still probably find a quiet corner where I can-”

“Nil, I haven’t even found anything for Aloy yet,” he protested, cutting off whatever scandalous remark he was planning on making. 

That was apparently the wrong thing to say since Nil shot him a crooked grin. “So once you find her a gift, I can drag you off and ravish you?”

Squeezing his eyes shut, Avad took a deep breath to keep from rising to the bait. When he dared to look again, he found Nil still grinning at him, though it was a touch fond now, as if seeing him getting pissed off was amusing. Glaring at him, Avad just said, “No,” before turning to make his way to the next stall. 

This one sold jewelry, eccentric and colorful and exactly the kind of thing Aloy would like. Thankfully, Nil _was_ actually shopping for her too, so he managed to distract him by helping him pick something out. Eventually they decided on a layered necklace, fitted with beautiful quartz beads, silver chains, and leather strips. It was entirely flashy and their magpie girlfriend would love it. 

“So now can we-”

“No.”

Avad’s typical rule for gifts was one fun and one practical - well, equal amounts of each since he could rarely stop at buying two gifts, especially for these two. Aloy had teased him about his love language being gift giving more than once when he pulled out a mass of gifts for her birthday or even just because. So in search of a practical gift, he grabbed Nil’s hand and wove through the walkways towards where he had seen stalls filled with everything having to do with crafting. 

When he got right up to the front of one, he turned to Nil expectantly. 

“Oh?” his boyfriend asked playfully, his eyebrows raising. “Did you want my help again?” 

“That _is_ why you came with me, isn’t it?” Avad raised his eyebrows as well, adopting the haughty look he’d had to refine as an adolescent. 

“I’ll help you pick something out if you let me have my way with you afterwards.” 

Avad groaned in exasperation. “We are in public, Nil. You’re not allowed to even _say_ things like that unless we’re at home.” He could feel the blush suffusing his cheeks and looked around surreptitiously to make sure no one could hear their quiet argument. 

“I don’t believe that’s ever stopped me before,” he mused before shooting him another sly grin. “And it’s never stopped you from surrendering to my touch in the past either, public or not.” 

Snatching the bag with their last purchase from him, Avad glared at him, viciously ignoring the reaction that comment gave him. “Fine, I’ll find something myself.”

“No, no. I can do that for you, my king. I won’t make you hold to your end of the deal,” he said mournfully. 

Despite his antics, the moment Nil put aside his teasing, his focus was entirely on finding something Aloy would like. He led them to a couple different stalls before he found some mechanical trinkets that he knew she had been mooning over. They were adding their purchases to the bag they already had when they heard the screaming. 

Close enough that they just had to push through a couple people, they found a little girl, probably only about three years old, crying her eyes out by the front of one of the stalls. Most people were just parting around her, probably assuming her mom was somewhere nearby but as they watched, no one moved to calm or comfort her. 

Before Avad could say anything, Nil was already in motion. 

Using his broad shoulders to force some space around the little girl, he knelt down gracefully until he was crouched in front of her. He didn’t reach out to pick her up or touch her in any way, but tilted his chin down and caught her gaze, filling her line of vision. “Hey, sweetheart. What’s wrong?”

Obviously entranced by the much bigger man, the little girl’s screams stopped and she rubbed her hands all over her face to smear her tears as she stared at him. Sniffling a little, she said quietly, “Lost my mama.” 

“Ah,” Nil said wisely, as if everything made sense now. “Can we help you find her?” 

Blinking up at him, she nodded solemnly. 

Looking up at him, Nil raised his brows slightly, the question obvious in his eyes. Smiling at him, Avad nodded too. 

Turning back to the little girl, Nil held his hand out to her. “Do you want to get on my shoulders? You might be able to see her if you’re very, very high up.” 

Avad’s heart melted at the soft tone his boyfriend used. Despite his violently goth appearance, Nil was the antithesis of so many stereotypes and he was a natural when it came to interacting with children. Watching him cautiously plop this little girl up on his shoulders, never wincing when she clutched at his hair even when she must have pulled it hard, Avad fell in love with him a little more. 

Hands firm on her ankles so she wouldn’t fall, Nil’s gaze met his. Whatever he saw there, probably Avad’s entire heart on display, made Nil smile softly. “There’s a security guard over there we can take her to.” 

Looking up to the girl, Avad said, “We’re going to take you over to that policeman to find your mom, okay?” 

When she nodded, Avad led the way. They had just made their way to him when she started crying out, “Mama, mama!” 

Following her frantic pointing, they saw a scared woman trying to push through the crowd to where they had found the girl. Meeting his boyfriend’s eyes, Avad said, “I’ll get her, you stay here.” 

As he darted off into the crowd after her, he heard Nil tell the guard what was going on. Thankfully, he caught up to her fast. She was speaking rapidfire to the man at the stall when Avad broke in, “Ma’am?”

Whirling on him, she instinctively asked, “Have you seen my daughter?”

“Is she about three? Blue dress and brown hair in pigtails?” Avad made sure his voice was calm, not wanting to stress her out any more than she already was. 

“Yes, that’s her! Do you know where she is?” Relief flashed across her face at his nod. 

“My partner and I found her crying and he’s with her by the security guard over there.” Avad pointed over to them and even over the crowd, the little girl was clearly visible, still perched on Nil’s shoulders. The woman beside him let out a little cry and then she was off, rushing to them. 

Only a little behind her, Avad got to them in time to see Nil slip the girl off his shoulders, her hands already outstretched towards her mom. As she hugged the girl close, both mother and daughter babbled to reassure themselves of the other’s presence. Assured there was no more need of him and obviously not wanting to deal with a crying mom, the guard slipped away. Sidling up next to his boyfriend, Avad reached for his hand, twining their fingers together.

When she’d calmed down a bit more, the woman turned towards them. “Thank you so much for helping her, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it.” 

“It was our pleasure,” Nil said kindly. 

After several more thank yous, she rushed off to find her wife and they were left alone at the edge of the market. Nil watched her go, a soft little smile on his lips that Avad wasn’t even sure he knew he was making. He loved this man so much. Annoyingly flirtatious one moment and then so caring it hurt the next. 

Tugging on his hand, Avad led him away. The market was set up on the edge of one of the bigger parks in the city and he was going to take advantage of that. 

“Where are we going?” he asked curiously, since Avad was leading him away from the market. 

“I saw something I wanted.” Biting back a smile, Avad dragged him along, ignoring his queries, until they were deep enough into the little wooded area of the park. 

“Avad, if you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’ll start to think you’re bringing _me_ out here to ravish me,” he drawled, uncertainty still evident in his deep voice. 

Turning to face him, Avad slipped his hand behind his neck to pull him down for a passionate kiss, cutting off his next smartass remark. Surprise rendered Nil still, but only for a moment before he groaned and kissed him back just as fiercely. His big hands fell on Avad’s hips as he tugged him close and Avad lost himself a little bit in the feeling of his lips.

Before he forgot what his goal was and let Nil take charge, Avad broke the kiss with a ragged gasp. 

“Dearest,” Nil murmured roughly, “if you don’t stop, I will take you here and now.”

Smiling at him slightly, Avad said, “That’s the goal,” before pushing Nil back against a tree and dropping to his knees. 

Ignoring his boyfriend’s shocked _“Avad,”_ he undid his pants expertly so he could tug them down just enough that he could free his cock. Nil let out a choked groan at his first touch, fisting the base of his shaft to pump him a few times as he hardened beneath his touch. Tangling his hand in Avad’s hair, Nil tugged at it until he looked up to meet his desperate gaze. “This was quite the change of heart, pretty boy.” 

Proud of the strained way he spoke, Avad kept their eyes locked as he shifted to lick the tip of his cock lightly. The hand in his hair tightened almost painfully as Nil’s breath caught and Avad did it again, curling his tongue around his shaft as he licked his thick length. When Nil’s hips bucked a little under his gentle touch, Avad retreated to stroke with just his hand, bracing the other on Nil’s muscled thigh. 

Keeping his movements slow and sure, Avad murmured, “I love you, Nil.”

Clouded grey eyes met his but for once Nil seemed incapable of speaking so Avad ducked forward to take his cock into his mouth. Groaning at the taste of him, he pushed forward until his mouth was full, needing to give Nil all the pleasure he could. 

Brushing his hair back gently, Nil gathered his curls in one hand as he stroked the side of his face with the other. The gesture was so tender despite the fact that Avad was doing possibly one of the dirtiest things he’d ever done in public. But he couldn’t find it in him to care about that right now. Instead, he focused entirely on Nil and slowly taking him apart with just his mouth. 

Within minutes, he had Nil trembling beneath his touch, his hands clutching at Avad’s shoulders as he tried to keep himself from pushing into him. But as much as he enjoyed teasing Nil the way he always teased Avad, he was ready for more too. They’d already gone this far… and they were deep enough into the park that they hadn’t heard anyone around them much less seen anyone. 

Wrapping his hands around Nil’s hips, he urged them forward, looking up to meet Nil’s gaze in clear demand. Catching on quickly, his lover’s grip tightened in his hair and he thrust into his mouth roughly. Avad let his eyes flutter closed, relaxing to take him as deep as he could. Nil’s thrusts came faster as the filthy sound of his cock pushing in and out of his lips drowned out anything else. When he got overwhelmed, Avad tapped on his hip a couple times and Nil stopped, sagging against the tree behind him.

Both of them were breathing hard and Avad wiped at his mouth, looking up at his boyfriend from his position still on his knees. Unable to resist anymore, he smiled at him slightly. “Fuck me?”

Squeezing his eyes shut, Nil reached down and gripped the base of his cock tight, as if he needed to control himself. “You want me to fuck you, princeling? Here?” Desire wrecked his voice and Avad almost moaned as it made his own cock twitch where he was hard in his pants. 

“Yes,” he whispered. “I need you to fuck me. Right here, right now.” 

Dropping to his knees in front of him, Nil pulled him into a hard kiss. As Avad gave in to his rough lips and teeth and tongue, Nil reached between them to return the favor Avad had given him earlier. Undoing his belt and pants, he manhandled Avad until he could shove his pants and underwear down to his knees. His fingers barely brushed Avad’s aching cock and he cried out into his mouth. 

Jerking away from him, Avad twisted around, turning away from Nil to brace his hands on the rough ground. He sent him a heated look over his shoulder. “Please, Nil.”

His lover needed no more urging as he grabbed his hips to pull him back hard and slot his cock against his ass. Still slick from Avad’s mouth, his hot length slid across his skin, but Nil waited for a moment, letting go of Avad with one hand to dig in his back pocket. 

Looking back to him, Avad let out a long-suffering groan. “You brought lube with you to go shopping?”

“Well, we ended up needing it, didn’t we, my little seductress?” His fierce grin as he opened the little bottle was more than a tad triumphant but Avad got distracted from his annoyance as he stroked the liquid over his cock. When he was satisfied, he poured the rest on his hand before returning his attention to Avad. 

Warmed by his hand, the lube drenching Nil’s fingers made him groan as he teased his entrance. Pushing back against him in wanton demand, Avad reached back with one hand to grasp at Nil’s shirt. “Stop fucking around, Nil,” he groaned uselessly.

“Such a dirty mouth you’ve got today. Maybe I should take you shopping more often.” 

Despite his playful words, Nil did as he was asked and shifted to press the head of his cock against him. Instead of pushing into him, he used his grip on Avad’s hips to tug him back, letting him impale himself on Nil’s cock. Avad’s breath hitched when he bottomed out, feeling so full he almost couldn’t stand it. 

Reaching around his waist, Nil slid one hand across his stomach and under his shirt to his chest, pulling back gently. Sitting up, Avad gasped as the change in angle shifted his lover’s cock inside him. When he settled back against him, Nil slid his arms around his waist and kissed his neck sweetly before rocking his hips to pull out of Avad slightly and pushing back in. 

The position they were in didn’t let Avad move almost at all, but Nil set a perfect pace. His hips pressed into Avad’s ass with every smooth, strong stroke and it wasn’t long before Avad was arching against him. Not content to stay still in any way, Nil’s hands wandered over him, molding to his lean form, across his chest and the soft skin of his stomach. 

Clinging to him, Avad wrapped his fingers around Nil’s wrist as his hand caressed down to take a hold of his cock. Avad cried out, uncaring as the sound echoed through the woods around them. Matching the steady pumping of his cock in his boyfriend, Nil stroked him firmly and all the time he kept up a steady stream of endearments and praises in Avad’s ear. 

Turning his head, Avad caught his lips in a desperate kiss, needing to be even closer to him than he already was. When he whimpered as Nil hit him at the perfect angle, Nil’s pace picked up. Shifting his hands back to Avad’s hips, he pulled him back against every thrust, until lights burst behind Avad’s eyes and his release thundered through him with a shattering intensity. 

Clawing at Nil’s thighs, needing something to ground him, Avad let go with a choked cry. His boyfriend held him through it, his thrusts growing gentler and his touch softer. “There’s my good boy,” he murmured, kissing the little spot beneath his ear that Avad loved. 

The praise made Avad’s face warm and he laughed breathlessly. Nil was still hard inside of him, but Avad was so sensitive in the wake of his release that his gentle motions threatened to drive him insane. Before he could protest, Nil stopped, pulling Avad into a tight embrace as he groaned, his own orgasm making him tremble against him. 

Running his hands over Nil’s arms, he tilted to brush a kiss against his cheek. “I’ve got you, my love.” 

Utterly comfortable despite the hard ground under his knees and the pinch of their clothes, they stayed there for a couple minutes longer as they caught their breath. When the indecency of their position started to nag at Avad, he shifted, trying to pull out of Nil’s arms. 

Unfortunately, his boyfriend tightened the hug stubbornly. “No, stay with me,” he pouted. 

“Nil, we can cuddle at home, not in the park.” Avad struggled harder, caught between laughter and exasperation. Finally, he escaped when he reached back to dig his fingers into Nil’s ribs. A shock of laughter spilled out and Nil reflexively moved to shield himself, letting Avad free. 

Betrayal shone from his big grey eyes as Avad stood to pull up his pants. “I never should have let you find out that I’m ticklish.” 

“Are you coming home with me or not?” Avad asked him archly. Delight filtered through him, victorious now that he was the one seducing and teasing Nil. Turning his own game on him was infinitely more fun than he had thought it would be. 

_I might have to do it more often,_ he thought as they tried to make it look like they hadn’t been fucking in the park. When he deemed them passable, he led the way to his car, their hands entwined as if they couldn’t bear to let go. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uhhhhh yeah Avad got a BIT more confident after facing down his dad, definitely more comfortable with some stuff than he used to be. 
> 
> Fic rec this week is Traveling Light by Kittleskittle! It's actually a comic she's been working on for months and it's absolutely gorgeous. It's a Nil x Aloy, starting with the beginning of the game but with most of it focused on post-canon. She's getting close to finishing it and I know I for one am going to cry when it's done.


	11. All For the Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nil and Aloy have a standing competition with Ikrie and Talanah - and tonight is one of the nights they get to see who the best really is. 
> 
> Tags: fluff, just pure fluff

It had all started with a bet. Which really didn’t surprise Aloy in the least. When you put four people together like her, Nil, Talanah, and Ikrie, everything was bound to go to hell pretty quick. 

Normally, Avad, Erend, and occasionally Petra were their stabilizing factors but those three were off working like responsible adults. Meanwhile, the four of them had decided to do the two things they all had in common; talk shit and archery. 

So here they were, bows in hand. Having piled into Aloy’s truck, they had made their way out to the range they used when they had the time to leave the city. The ride had been loud, mostly Nil and Talanah talking over each other about hunts they had done in the past and whether or not Talanah’s skill had suffered from her increased time spent playing soccer instead of shooting. Quieter than the other two, Aloy and Ikrie had shared more than one exasperated glance through the rear view mirror at their partners’ incessant energy. 

Sometimes the outdoor range tucked into the woods had people coming and going, but this close to sundown it was deserted. Spilling out of the cab, Aloy and Talanah jumped up into the bed of the truck to open up the lock box and start pulling out bows. 

Passing Nil the Voice of Our Teeth, Talanah said, “I can’t wait until you bet this bow one day and I get to keep it.”

Pressing his hand to his chest, Nil said dramatically, “I would _never_ bet her. And the huntress and I would never lose.” 

“Maybe I want to team up with Talanah,” Aloy said slyly, purposefully egging him on. 

The emphatic rejection she earned came from both Nil and Ikrie. Just as fiercely competitive as her fiancee, Ikrie loved to win, but the one person she couldn’t compete against was Talanah. It was sickeningly sweet when Ikrie looked over at her now, heart in her eyes. “You know I do better when you’re at my back.”

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Talanah grinned at her broadly. “Only then?”

She might love her, but Ikrie shoved Talanah off the truck. 

“Besides,” Nil butted in, “The bet was that we could beat them, huntress. No changing up the teams.” 

Smiling at him fondly, Aloy took her own seat so she could check all of her mods and the attunement of her bow. Each of the other archers did the same, their bows varying in style and range and color. Once she was satisfied that her bow was in top shape, Aloy hopped off the truck and pulled on her arm guard. 

Before she could even start to pull the ties closed, a big pair of hands replaced hers and Nil tightened the guard perfectly. Though she gave him a look, Aloy let herself enjoy it. For some reason he enjoyed helping her with her equipment - though if she thought back to the first time they had gone to a range together, the reason wasn’t so mysterious. 

As soon as he finished, she snagged his own. “I get to put yours on this time too,” she demanded, keeping the guard out of his reach.

Growling at her playfully, Nil stuck his arm out for her. Half the time he wouldn’t let her, but this time he stayed still as she tightened the brace, repositioning it so that it molded to his arm. Aloy quickly secured it and looked up at him smugly. “See? It’s easier when you let me help.”

Leaning down, he kissed her. “But I do so love to watch your face get all scrunched up when I don’t let you.” 

“Stop flirting and get over here already!”

Scowling at him, Aloy grabbed his sleeve to tug him behind here to where their opponents were already stationed. Laughing, Nil let himself be towed. “See? That’s the look I love.” 

Sending a silent plea to her friends, they joined them at the entry to the range. This one was big enough that it had several areas, kept up by a group of archers in the area but available to pretty much anyone as long as they were cleared by the owners. They were welcome to come and go as they wanted and most of the archers knew each other. 

“Targets or field?” Ikrie asked them, her brows raised. 

“You’re letting us pick?” Nil drawled. 

She grimaced. “Don’t make me regret it.”

“Field it is!”

The four of them made their way across the main range to a big opening towards the back. Field archery involved shooting at unmarked targets set across the length of the field. This included target butts, animal rounds, cans and bottles set up at varying distances, and essentially anything anyone could dare them to shoot. The archers here picked up after themselves but they couldn’t disguise the innumerable scratches and divots in the trees surrounding the field where archers had tested their skills before. 

It was the perfect playground for a competition to see who among them was the best. 

Having challenged each other to more than one of these contests, the two pairs already knew the rules but they hashed them and the scoring system out again to be sure. They played for fun sometimes, but for them half of the fun was the desire and drive to win. Their prizes generally ran the gamut from basic bragging rights to a round of beers, though a couple of them had decided to make outrageous demands. 

“I want voot,” Talanah declared loudly. 

“You can’t call her that!” Nil exclaimed. “If we’re making ludicrous demands, I want your fiancee.”

Talanah squawked at that and the two of them started obnoxiously demanding more and more prizes. Sidling up to Ikrie, Aloy whispered, “Do you want to start without them and see if they notice?”

Glancing at her out of the corner of her eye, Ikrie smiled. With practiced stealth, the two of them slipped behind their lovers to the line. After a hushed exchange, Ikrie shot first, loosing her arrow at the neck of one of the fake deer, far off and half hidden by a tree. 

As soon as she had shot, Aloy brought her bow up as well. The two of them loosed shot after shot, littering the targets around the field with blue and white fletched arrows until their quivers ran empty. They’d heard the sound of protests behind them halfway through, but both of the women had ignored it as they centered into their pace. 

Slightly breathless by the end, Aloy turned to Ikrie. “You’ve gotten faster.”

“Competing in every official and unofficial competition in the area helps,” she said, excitement still brightening her voice. “I keep making Talanah do them with me, too.” 

Talanah wrapped her arms around her fiancee’s waist, crowing. “She definitely beat you, flame-hair.”

Narrowing her eyes at her friend, Aloy said, “Well, since you and Nil spent so long arguing, you two get to check the hits.” 

Nil’s hand stroked down her back even as Talanah gave her fiancee a kiss and the two were off to gather arrows. As per their usual, Talanah checked Aloy’s and Nil checked Ikrie’s - to cut down on cheating. If integrity wasn’t enough, sheer pride in their own abilities precluded any lying about their opponent’s shots. 

As it turned out, Ikrie did indeed put her team into the lead with that first round. Their partners took up the next round, arrows flying one after another, as they fell into a familiar rhythm. The four of them had all been good right from the very start and getting together like this had only pushed them to get better. Good natured competition drove them all to train harder, even if it was only a hobby for most of them. Ikrie was the one who haunted the tournaments and archery events, winning money for her efforts and dragging Talanah along whenever her schedule allowed for it. 

After that, they were neck and neck the whole time. Ikrie and Talanah pulled ahead at the end, but Nil managed to get an impressive shot that tied them up entirely. 

Energy still burning through her veins even after they had exhausted the field of targets, Aloy turned to Talanah. “Race me for the tiebreaker?”

Talanah must have seen the fire in her eyes because her own spirit caught on. “Hell yes, little bird.” 

Several little tracks wove through the grounds, only to be used when there wasn’t any other shooting going on. Not many people had the stamina or desire to run the course, searching out the little targets painted in all the colors of the rainbow. They could be found anywhere, on tree trunks and branches, on the side of the dilapidated shed halfway through, random targets spread throughout the woods. Each person picked a color and they went through, shooting each target of their chosen hue while running the course. They could slow to a walk, but there was no guarantee their opponent would do the same so accuracy and speed were both needed to be victorious. Both your amount of targets and your total run time counted in the final score. 

Stopping by the truck, Aloy and Talanah shed any unnecessary clothes, stripping down to their pants and sports bras so they could run as quickly as they could. Aloy had found out the hard way once that she didn’t want her bow catching on her shirt while she ran. Plopping themselves down on the edge of the bed, Nil and Ikrie watched, quiet but for the lewd comments he kept throwing at Aloy. 

Ignoring the suggestive commentary altogether, Aloy raised her brows at them. “Time us?”

Even though they both nodded, Nil stuck out his bottom lip in a pout. “I can’t believe you’ve stripped only to leave me. You’re a cruel huntress.”

Stepping closer, Aloy rose on her toes to brush a kiss over his lips before whispering against them, “I’ll do it more often so you get used to it.” With a vicious grin, she spun to sprint to where Talanah was waiting at the opening to the paths. 

“I’ll take yellow if you want blue?” Talanah asked. 

Aloy nodded, settling down into a starting crouch. “We’re good to go!”

“You’re the death of me is what you are!” Nil called back.

Ikrie, on the other hand, was the one to shout out, “Ready… set… go!”

Both of the hunters leapt into motion, sprinting into their chosen paths with bows at the ready. Aloy lost track of Talanah almost right away, except for the flash of color at the corner of her eye and the sound of her arrows striking their targets. A flash of blue caught her attention and Aloy swung her bow up to shoot, never breaking her stride at the fabric now speared into the tree. 

She tried not to, but Aloy couldn’t help but count her target as she went, knowing that there were a couple she may have missed. Never having done this route before, she didn’t instinctively know it like she would a couple of the others, but that was why Talanah had picked these two for them. It wasn’t fair if they already knew where to shoot.

And so it went, her legs pumping as she drew and released her bowstring with every flash of bright blue that she could glimpse in the dying light of the sun. Eventually she spied the halfway mark; a giant column of wood piercing the ground with blue paint dripping down from the top and yellow rope tied at the tip for extra visibility. 

Shooting an arrow into the paint, Aloy darted around the marker and headed back the way she came. This time, a whole new swath of targets met her, invisible from the other direction and meant exactly for this half of the route. Her breaths started to come heavier, exhaustion pulling at her limbs. Aloy hadn’t done one of these runs in longer than she wanted to admit and it was wearing on her. 

_We should make this a weekly challenge,_ she thought briefly, all the rest of her concentration on not missing a single target. 

As she neared the end, her foot slipped just a little but it knocked her shot off, missing the target by an inch. She could have gone back, but at this point finishing faster was more important. Irritated at her misstep, her upshot was powerful enough to bury her arrow so deep enough into the last tree that she wasn’t sure if she would be getting that one back. 

Sprinting across the start line, Aloy found she had only been a few steps behind Talanah. The other woman was already bent over, panting as she tried to catch her breath. At the sound of Aloy’s arrival, she looked up and managed a triumphant grin. 

“Still- hah- faster than you, my darling pupil.”

“Fuck off,” Aloy said breathlessly, wearing her own grin. Talanah might have finished faster, but Aloy had better aim. Hopefully that would win her the race. 

Collapsing onto the ground, Aloy leaned back on her hands to gaze up at the sky. Only a moment later, a water bottle got shoved in her face. “I have to go count the hawk’s targets, but you should drink, little huntress.” 

“Thank you, Nil.” When he stroked his knuckles down her cheek, Aloy leaned into it slightly before he strode off to the yellow path. 

Dropping down next to her, Talanah bumped her with her shoulder. “Good run. Too bad you lost though.” 

“We’ll see about that when the scores come in.” 

Each path had the same amount of targets explicitly for competition reasons so all they had to do was wait for their partners to finish walking through and getting all their arrows. The targets were relatively easy to reach since they had to clean up after themselves, but it was no surprise that it took less time for Nil to come back first. Ikrie was short enough that it took her a bit longer. 

In the meantime, Talanah counted through her arrows, placing aside a couple that were unsalvageable. When Ikrie made it back with Aloy’s blue-fletched arrows, she poured them out in front of her and the redhead started sorting through hers. 

“How many you got, Aloy?” Talanah asked suspiciously, leaning over her shoulder. 

“Twenty-seven,” she said cautiously, turning to narrow her eyes at her enemy. “You?”

Talanah’s laugh echoed in the woods around them. “Twenty-five! With my ten-second lead on time, that means another tie! So much for being a dealbreaker.” One target did indeed equal an extra five seconds in time and Aloy rubbed her hand over her face ruefully. 

“Actually,” Ikrie broke in, utterly exhausted and resigned, “Aloy wins. Her last arrow was so stuck in the tree I couldn’t get it out.”

Blinking at her fiancee, it took Talanah a moment to process that. When she did, peals of laughter spilled from her. “Oh, Aloy, only you would be able to shoot an arrow so fast it refuses to be freed.” 

With a smug smile, Nil said, “That’s my girl,” before striding over to the blue path. A few minutes later he emerged victorious - well, not fully. He held half an arrow in his hand, broken off in the middle of the shaft. Dropping it into her hands, he said grandly, “Your prize, my lady.” 

Tapping the fletching of the broken arrow against her hand, Aloy mused, “So, did you two ever decide what the actual prize was for tonight?”

Talanah let out a disgusted sigh but it was Nil who answered. “They buy us dinner at any restaurant we want.”

Ignoring the smack Ikrie gave Talanah’s arm, Aloy raised an eyebrow at him. “Avad included?”

“I would never forget our man, of course it includes Avad.” 

After Ikrie was done scolding Talanah for her choice in prizes, Aloy and Nil spent the whole ride home discussing which restaurant was the most expensive choice. They might eventually take pity on their friends, but for now they would milk this prize for all the teasing it was worth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was grinning the whole time edited this, I love these dorks so much. 
> 
> Fic rec this week is a dual one! Check out Aloy, Nil, and Death by Kittleskittle and Think of Me by yours truly. These are FULL angst since they explore what happens in different circumstances if Nil were to die. Apparently I decided since this outtake is super fluffy, I'd rec the really angsty shit. (also sorry I've tried linking these recs but ao3 doesn't want to let the links actually show up but the titles and authors are on her exactly as I write them out so just search for them and you'll find them!)


	12. I Think You've Got Me Pegged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Avad has a need and Aloy is only too happy to help. 
> 
> Tags: smut, pegging, light dom/sub, top Aloy and bottom Avad ofc, lil bit of a praise kink because that's what Avad deserves
> 
> I couldn't help the chapter title okay, it's a lyric from a Coheed and Cambria song but the whole thing is "I think you've got me pegged as the wrong man" but I always make a play on it just being pegged asdkfjh

Aloy blinked at her boyfriend in surprise. “Can you repeat that?”

Blushing profusely, Avad averted his eyes, but did as asked. “Would you please fuck me?”

Heat poured through Aloy and she bit her bottom lip hard as she looked down at the box he’d brought her along with his request. It was her trove of sex toys - more specifically, her straps. Unable to keep from teasing him, she made a neutral noise, as if she was still considering the request. “I don’t know, Avad. I still have a lot of homework to get through…”

Need flashed across his face but Avad pulled back. “Okay, that’s fine. Don’t worry about-”

“You’re so gullible,” Aloy said, laughing as she caught his hand to pull him back. “Do you really miss Nil that much? He’s only been gone a couple days.” Their boyfriend had gone on a camping trip with Janeva and his old parole officer, Uthid. She’d been a little shocked that he was friends with Uthid but the way they interacted was adorably parental. Uthid seemed like the mentor Nil needed, much like Marad was to Avad. 

Letting himself get tugged back onto the couch next to her, Avad glowered at her for just a moment. “That doesn’t have to be my only reasoning.” 

She raised her eyebrows at him and waited. 

“I- I just want to be close to you,” he stated, his already flustered composure crumbling further. 

Smothering a smile, Aloy’s heart softened. Reaching up to curl her hand around the nape of his neck to toy with the little curls there, she pulled him down into a sweet kiss. Sighing against her lips, Avad kissed her back just as softly, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her tight against him. She went more than willingingly, straddling his lap and cupping his face in her hands as she deepened the kiss. 

After long moments spent drowning in each other, Avad asked, his voice dark and smooth, “Do you want me to beg?” All that hesitation had faded now that he knew she wanted this right now too and his tone made her shiver in anticipation. He might be in control and seductive now, but she’d make sure he couldn’t keep that calm for much longer. Brushing his lips against hers while he spoke, Avad whispered, “Because I can beg for you if you want.” 

Aloy groaned as his kisses shifted down the column of her neck, lingering on her pulse and making her breath come short and shallow. “I wouldn’t mind it,” she said breathlessly. She would take control from him in a minute but for now, she was enjoying the attention he was paying her with his lips and hands. 

“I need you, my love,” came his plea. He let his need seep through, his voice rough as he rocked his hips up against her so that she could feel his hardening cock against her core. “I need you in my arms and inside me, until I’m aching and the only word I know is your name.”

Her own hips jerked against his, the words he’d murmured against her skin more potent than any of his touches had been. Goddess, she wanted that too. 

Threading her hand through his hair, Aloy lightly tugged until Avad pulled back from her. His deep brown eyes were molten with heat and lust and she almost kissed him again just to be close to him once more. But that wasn’t what he had asked for and she wanted to give him what he needed more than anything else. 

“Did you have a certain one in mind or can I choose?” she asked, letting a touch of humor enter her voice as she played with his curls. 

Avad didn’t need to ask what she meant, but he blushed a little before answering. “The red one.” His hands had stopped their wandering, tightening on her hips as she smiled. 

With one last little roll of her hips, Aloy shifted off of her boyfriend’s lap. She grabbed the box he had brought as she stood and looked at him from under her lashes. Reaching out, she took his hand and guided him back to their bedroom, abandoning her homework where it was long forgotten. 

She set the box down on her dresser and turned back to Avad. Waiting for her, he stood still, his thumb brushing against her wrist before she let go. Aloy reached up to undo the top button of his shirt but when he went to help, she pushed his hands away. “I get to take care of you today, okay?” It wasn’t really a question and Avad couldn’t seem to answer anyway as she leaned up to place a kiss on the little bit of skin she had bared at his collar. 

Aloy moaned at the taste of him, following every undone button with another kiss. Unable to help her, Avad’s hands tangled in her hair, never guiding or pulling, just tightening as she plied gasp after gasp out of him. 

When she had every button slowly undone, she slipped the shirt off of his shoulders so she could run her hands down the smooth skin of his bare chest and stomach. Avad shivered at her touch and he watched her every move but he didn’t try to speak or touch her. This was far from the first time he’d let her do this and, as impatient as he might get, Aloy had made sure he knew she would make every step feel so good for him. 

Her hands never lingered in one spot for too long, just barely teasing his nipples and along the sides of his waist, finding those weak spots of his and lightly brushing over them. By the time she sank to her knees, Avad was already trembling and she hadn’t even truly touched him yet. 

Slow enough that Aloy was even impatient with herself, she unfastened his belt and pants. Avad shifted to help her tug them down and off, clad only in his briefs now. Running the palms of her hands up his thighs, Aloy looked up at him from her knees, knowing how much seeing her like this would affect him. She couldn’t help but delay a little longer, wanting him to be an absolute mess by the time she was done with him. “Are you doing okay, Avad?”

He jerked his head in a nod but Aloy smiled and brushed a kiss over his hip bone where it peeked out of his underwear. “Use you words, honey.” 

“Yes,” came his immediate, choked, reply. “More than okay. Please keep going.”

Humming against his skin, Aloy hooked her fingers in his briefs to drag them slowly off his hips and down his thighs. Avad groaned as his cock was freed but she was careful not to touch him where he wanted her to as she nudged his calf to get him to shift so she could throw the garment in the corner. 

Now that he was completely naked in front of her, Aloy traced patterns up his legs. All her patience cultivated and perfected during hunting trips and engineering projects gave her the pacing she needed to tease him for as long as she wanted. Never once did she give in to the little thrusts of his hips as she ran her hands over particularly sensitive spots. 

Pressing a kiss to his stomach, Aloy finally took pity on him. “Go sit on the bed,” she commanded softly. 

Avad did as he was told, though she could tell it pained him to leave her touch, even as sparing as she had been with it. He climbed up onto their giant bed, sitting in the middle as Aloy stood. With much less teasing, she stripped off her own shirt, followed by her shorts and bra. She didn’t put on a show for him, but she could feel his gaze trace every movement she made, the heat palpable as she carelessly tossed her clothes away. 

Her panties were the last to go and Aloy was naked when she made her way back over to the box she’d brought back in with them. Opening it up, she found the one Avad had chosen right away, the pretty red of the strap-on an easy target. She heard Avad’s little cut off moan as she pulled it out along with the harness. 

Wanting to tease him a bit more, Aloy brought the strap with her as she got up onto the bed next to him. When Avad reached out to her, she shifted away. “No touching until I say so,” she said firmly. 

So Avad could only watch, fingers tangled in the sheets, as Aloy reached down to brush her fingertips against her slit. Kneeling just out of reach, she spread her knees so he could see exactly what she was doing as she circled her little nub. She rocked her hips into her own touch as she let her gaze wander across Avad’s body, feeling liquid heat gather even as his cock hardened completely. 

Avad protested when she pulled her hand away, but she leaned close to press her fingers to his lips. He opened for her immediately, licking her fingers clean and sucking lightly with a look of utter need as he kept her gaze caught with his throughout. When she pulled away, Aloy couldn’t help but lean close to kiss him quickly, her own taste lingering on his lips. 

Still, he didn’t reach for her, and she murmured a little, “Good boy,” as she pulled away again. Avad shuddered slightly but his gaze never wavered as Aloy grabbed the harness and strap on and shifted to slip them on. The red one was one of her straps that had a smaller end that went on the inside of the harness and she slipped it inside her wet pussy as she fastened the harness around her hips. 

Her boyfriend was the one who groaned as she slid it inside her but Aloy clenched around it at the sound, the extra sensation ratcheting her own pleasure up a notch. 

When she had it all settled the way she wanted, Aloy stroked her hand up the length of her fake cock. Just once, before she leaned over to the nightstand to grab the bottle of lube Avad had put there in preparation. Settling back into her spot, she poured some out onto her hand so she could pump her strap a few times, getting it wet and ready.

Always attuned to Avad, he attention caught on him again as he shifted towards her helplessly. “Aloy, please,” he begged. “Please stop teasing me, I need you.” 

“Come here,” she said softly. Tugging his hand from the sheets, she pulled him into a kiss, feeling him sigh against her in relief. Pushing at his shoulders, she meaneuvered him away from the headboard so she could sit in front of it, leaning back against the cool wood. Kissing him again, Aloy urged him closer until he was straddling her thighs. 

Avad’s hands landed on her sides lightly and when she didn’t tell him to stop, his grip grew tighter as he kissed her desperately. He whimpered quietly when his cock brushed against her strap, grinding down against her. 

When Aloy broke their kiss, she pressed another one against his jaw and then his ear before she pressed the bottle she still had into his hand. “I want you to prep yourself until you’re ready for me, Avad.” 

His head fell to rest on her shoulder and Aloy stroked his hair softly as he took the bottle. Breathing uneven, Avad poured some of the cool liquid on his hand and she watched as he reached back behind him. Though she couldn’t see, Aloy knew the exact moment he thrust a finger inside of himself because he arched against her, muffling his noises with a hand over his mouth. 

“No, I want to hear you,” Aloy chided. She pulled his hand from his mouth, resting it against her heart instead. As his little cries echoed the rocking of his hips against his touch, Aloy let her hands and voice ground him. She stroked her fingers over his sides, her touch firm and solid enough that he wasn’t overstimulated and helping balance him as his legs shook. “I’m not even inside you yet, Avad, you can’t be this much of a mess already.” 

Letting out what might have been a laugh, Avad’s hand twitched where it lay on her collarbone and she watched as pre-come leaked from his cock. Not wanting to touch him and end this too soon, Aloy just watched as he ground his cock against hers. Each little push shifted the end that was inside her as well and kept the heat simmering in her veins at a low thrum. 

“Are you ready for me?”

Avad’s eyes opened lazily, his lashes lowered as he looked at her adoringly. “Yes, always.”

She tugged on his hips until he shifted up, poised over her as he withdrew his fingers to reach down and steady her strap. Ever so slowly, Aloy urged him lower, until she could feel the pressure on her harness and Avad flung his head back with a sharp cry. Rocking her hips up into him, Avad sank lower, until she was almost hilted inside him and his hands clutched at her shoulders for balance. 

“That’s it, sweetheart, just like that. Goddess, you take my cock so well,” she murmured.   
  
Avad’s breath caught at her praise, his hips stuttering as he rolled them down against hers. With a last little push of her hands, he was full, gasping in breaths as he adjusted to having her cock sheathed inside him. Massaging little circles against his hips, Aloy let him get used to the feeling as she felt every movement he made inside herself as well. 

After a minute, Aloy rocked her hips into him, but when Avad tensed above her, she stopped. Letting go of his hips, she cradled his face to bring him close for a gentle kiss. “Do you want to ride me, Avad? Go at your own pace?” 

Hazy brown eyes held such a powerful look of gratitude and love that Aloy kissed him again. Avoiding the temptation to guide him, she ran her hands down his chest, scraping his skin lightly with her blunted nails, enough to tease but not to hurt. Avad moaned at the sensation and finally he started to move on top of her. 

Rising slowly on his knees, Avad’s eyes fluttered closed. When he pushed back down onto her, he let out a choked gasp and Aloy treasured it. Never quite picking up speed, Avad fucked himself on her cock at a devastating pace. Every time he impaled himself, rocked harder onto her, Aloy felt his strokes echo inside her and it took all her willpower not to fuck up into him hard and rough. 

Eventually, Avad couldn’t raise himself to the tip of her cock, insteading making shallow thrusts as he rolled his hips over hers just enough that it drove both of them insane. Unable to hold back any longer, Aloy’s hands fell to his waist and she held him down as she thrust up hard. 

Avad shouted, his legs giving out so that Aloy was the one fully in control, pushing up into him faster than before as he fell apart in front of her eyes. Continuing the demanding pace, Aloy dropped one hand to his cock, finally giving him the touch he had been needing. Avad’s hips bucked at her first stroke, caught between her hand and her strap. He didn’t last much longer, coming over her stomach and breasts as she ruined him. 

Stroking him through his release, Aloy murmured praises to him all the time, her thrusts growing softer and smoother. When he softened, she slipped out of him and Avad collapsed against her. Laughing and still slightly breathless herself, Aloy kissed the crown of his head. She ran her hands up and down his back, soothing and massaging him as he came down. 

“You did so well,” she murmured against curls that were damp with sweat. “So good for me. Is that what you wanted?”

She felt his content sigh against her neck as he snuggled closer. “Exactly what I wanted,” he answered sleepily. 

As much as she wouldn’t mind taking a nap with him, they both needed to clean up. Slipping her hands between them, Aloy pushed at his chest until he reluctantly sat up. “Come on, I’ll give you a bath.” 

Wincing as he unfolded himself from on top of her, Avad slid off the bed to stretch. The graceful movement of his glistening skin made heat pulse through her as she watched and reminded Aloy that while he had finished, she had not. 

Pushing down the urge to push him back down so that she could ride _him,_ Aloy followed him and slipped off her harness. She set it in the sink on her way into the bathroom, rinsing it off quickly, but she wanted to tend to Avad first. He followed her leisurely, sitting on the edge of their tub as she fiddled with the faucet. When it was just hot enough, she turned to grab Avad’s favorite soaps when he snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her back onto his lap. 

“You’re taking a bath with me, right?” His voice was low and happy in her ear and Aloy couldn’t help but smile. 

“Do you want me to?”

“Of course,” he said, as if the answer should have been obvious. 

Laughing, she escaped his hold to grab a few bottles from the cabinets and made her way back to her boyfriend and their half full tub. “Well, get in, your highness,” she said teasingly, nudging his shoulder. 

Smiling at her, Avad stepped in, groaning as he sank into water hot enough that steam poured off of the surface. Testing it herself, Aloy flinched at the heat. “I don’t know how you stand it that hot,” she muttered as she flipped the dial to cold for the last little bit. When that tempered the heat a bit, Aloy slid into the water in front of him. 

Avad ignored the soaps, pulling her back against him as he reclined against the sloped edge of the tub. Relaxing into him, Aloy sighed as his hands ran over her skin, the heat of the water and his body lulling her until she sighed peacefully. “I’m supposed to be the one pampering you,” she protested weakly when she realized he had succeeded in distracting her. 

Humming quietly, Avad’s response was to slip one of his hands lower to brush against the curls between her legs. Aloy gasped, suddenly more than awake as his clever fingers found her clit. The lust that had abated came roaring back and Aloy clung to his wrist as he pressed down. 

“You didn’t come earlier,” he murmured. His other hand rose above the water to cup one of her breasts, his thumb stroking over her nipple until it hardened at his touch. 

Writhing at his touch, Aloy barely had the clarity to say, “I didn’t need to, I did that - _oh_ \- for you.” 

“And this is for you.” With that, his hand slid lower, pressing a couple fingers into her as his palm ground against her sensitive bud. Unable to do anything but surrender to his firm but gentle explorations of her body, Aloy moaned. After making him come undone, she had been so keyed up that it didn’t take Avad long to push her right to the edge. When the kiss he placed on her shoulder became a nip as he sucked on her skin, Aloy crashed over that edge and came with a strangled cry. 

Avad kept up his soft touch for long after she came, as if he couldn’t bear to stop touching her. Her second orgasm was weaker, her pussy spasming lightly around his fingers and finally Aloy was the one begging. “Avad, I can’t take any more, please-”

With a last caress, Avad retreated, wrapping his arms around her again as he pressed kisses against her neck and cheek. Turning slightly, Aloy kissed him back, letting the kiss linger as the significantly cooler water calmed around them. 

They ended up turning the water on again to heat up the bath, relaxing and talking as they washed each other and enjoyed the peaceful feeling of simply being together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're so close to being finished with these outtakes!! It feels like forever and also like two seconds since I started Eyes On Me, let alone posting all these little pieces of their lives. The last one that's coming up later this week is the big one - it's going to be the longest and quite possibly the best one so I hope y'all are ready for it!


	13. The Running Kind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nil finally finds out about how Aloy and Avad met - and how they fell in love. 
> 
> Tags: fluff, smut, fluffy smut, past depression and self esteem issues
> 
> This outtake is probably the most plot relevant to the story but mostly just because it has to do with Aloy and Avad's relationship. Hope y'all enjoy!

“I realized something the other day,” Nil mused, breaking the comfortable silence.

Curled up in bed with his partners, Nil was exceedingly relaxed in the afterglow of their lazy afternoon making love. If someone had told him a couple years ago that he would have not one but _two_ people who loved him and who he loved back, he would have laughed in their face. So he treasured these moments over maybe all the others, when they didn’t need anything other than to be near each other. 

“What did you realize?” Avad asked, his voice rough from the way Nil had made him cry out earlier - and possibly the nap they’d just had, but he wanted to blame the other reason. 

With Avad’s head resting on his stomach, Nil reached down to comb his fingers through his hair. “I don’t think I ever learned how you and the huntress met.” 

On his other side, Aloy popped up to stare at him incredulously. _“What?_ Nil, we’ve been together for over a year and we’ve never told you?” Shock pitched her voice higher than it normally was but Nil just laughed. 

“It’s fine, fierce one. I don’t mind, but I would like to hear the story.” 

Crossing her legs, Aloy settled down next to them to prop her chin up on her fist. Looking to Avad, she asked, “Do you want to tell it or should I?”

Waving a hand at her, Avad deferred. “You’re a better storyteller. I’ll just jump in to correct you.” 

“Thank you,” she said wryly, reaching out to poke his ribs. 

Nil reaching out to run his hand over her thigh. “So?” 

Tilting her head, Aloy seemed lost in the memory when she finally spoke. “It was about four years ago when I first met Avad.”

***

Aloy was only a few weeks into her second semester and she already _knew_ she was going to fail history. 

For all that she loved looking into her personal history - her mother and what had happened to her - world history escaped her. She blamed the Nora for that; they didn’t find world history or even US history to be very important and barely grazed over it in favor of their cultural history and legends. 

So for all intents and purposes, this was her first real history class. And she was not doing well. Sliding into class late was another mark against her, as well. 

With an engineering class that ended right beforehand, getting to class on time was already tight and the group project they got assigned kept her after class just long enough to make her late. She tried slipping in quietly, but the door was at the front of the room and made that next to impossible. 

“Nice to see you, Ms. Sobeck,” said the TA, his voice wry but not mean like some of the other professors and TAs could be. He gave her a little smile and Aloy felt her heart flip.

To top it all off, she had the biggest crush on her history TA.

Absolutely gorgeous, Avad Surya was a junior who was apparently so beloved by Professor Ismat that he’d been made a TA in his sophomore year. Taller than her by a few inches, with a riot of curls every shade of gold and brown and deep brown, kind eyes, he was quite possibly one of the prettiest men Aloy had ever seen. Beyond that, he also had an amazing British accent and he was smart and funny and so nice to all of his students. So, just like more than half of her classmates, Aloy was hopelessly crushing on him. 

> _Oh huntress, that’s adorable. She had a crush on you, pretty boy._

And he wasn’t one of those TAs they would never see, either. With all of the professor’s side projects and other duties, Mr. Surya ended up teaching half the classes and it looked like today was another of those. 

“We were just starting our discussion on the early creation of Rome, if you’d like to take a seat,” he said, gesturing to the empty chair halfway up the room that she normally picked. 

Nodding at him, Aloy tried to stifle the blush on her face, cursing her red hair and pale, freckled skin. She ignored the looks some of the other students gave her and finally collapsed in her seat to drag out her notebook. The class passed in a blur, all the details and names lost on her even when spoken in that beautiful voice. 

When Mr. Surya dismissed them, Aloy was still scribbling down details, wishing she had a recorder to catch everything she knew she had missed. Absorbed in her work, she didn’t notice when everyone else filed out the door and she didn’t hear her TA call her name. 

She did notice when he knocked on her desk. “Aloy?”

Her head jerked up and she met his amused gaze. The sound of her name on his lips made her blush want to rise again but she refused to let it. “I’m sorry, Mr. Surya, did you need something?” A quick glance around told her that they were indeed the last ones in the room.

> _Yes, Mr. Surya, what_ did _you need?_

“I dismissed the class, but you seemed like you were still concentrating,” he said cautiously. 

“Oh. Yeah, I’m not really good with history.” Admitting that made her feel like a failure and inexplicably Aloy felt like she might cry. 

Sitting down in the chair next to her, Mr. Surya smiled. “I did notice,” he said, his voice not mocking or unkind. “Would you like some extra help?”

Aloy’s hackles raised, unused to being offered help and unsure if she even wanted it. But when she looked down at the mess of notes in front of her, she sighed. “I could probably use it,” she muttered. 

> _She used to be even more stubborn than she is now, if you can believe it._

“I have an open period right after this class if you’re available and you’d like some tutoring?” he said. When she looked at him, Aloy saw nothing but sincerity in those beautiful eyes. He’d been nothing but kind to her even as she practically failed his class less than a handful of weeks into the semester. And she couldn’t say that the prospect of spending more time with him was a bad thing. 

“Sure,” she said decisively, making up her mind. “I’d love that, Mr. Surya.”

He laughed and the sound of it somehow made everything a little bit better. “If I’m tutoring you, you can call me Avad.” 

“Thank you, Avad.” 

A blush rose to cover his cheeks and he coughed. Confused, Aloy asked if he was okay and he waved her off and went up front to grab his lecture notes. 

> _You were so amazingly oblivious, Aloy, I thought you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen and hearing you say my name gave me the same heart attack it gave you when I called you Aloy._

That was the first time he tutored her after class. It took a couple weeks, but eventually, Avad figured out that Aloy was a hands-on learner, an engineering major who had to take this for her Liberal Arts Core. With that in mind, he adapted his tutoring and she began to catch on faster and faster. By the end of the semester, she was a solid B student in his class and she and Avad spent more of their “tutoring” sessions talking than actually doing any studying. 

When the end of the semester rolled around and it was time to take the final, Aloy was nervous enough she thought she might vomit. 

“You’ll do fine,” Avad reassured her at their last tutoring session. “You’ve made amazing progress and your test scores have been getting better every time.”

Shifting on her feet, Aloy peeked up at him from under her lashes. She _had_ made so much progress this semester - not just with her history class, but with everything. Her first semester at college had been a shock, everything so different from how it had been in the Sacred Lands and she felt like she had so much catching up to do. 

Finding friends had been the worst part. She’d never fit in at home, when half the Nora treated her like an outcast, and it didn’t lend her any skills in navigating life out with normal people. When everyone else had been making friends and going out, she had been studying, rushing towards a future she couldn’t even imagine and wishing so hard that she had someone to talk to or even just someone to be with when she didn’t want to be alone. 

Her saving grace had been the few people who wouldn’t let her retreat from them. Her engineering mentor, Petra, was so aggressively fond of her that she knew she could go to her if she needed to. And there was a girl she’d met at the local archery club; Talanah had latched onto her almost right away, never shying away from her like some of the others. Those two had introduced her to others, pulling her into their friend groups with barely a hiccup. 

This semester she had started to feel like she might truly belong somewhere. And Avad had made her feel like maybe she didn’t have to be lonely. 

But when she was standing in front of him, knowing that this might be the last time she would see him if she didn’t say anything, she found that she was more of a coward than she ever thought she was. 

> _I’d tease you for that, but I’m not really one to talk. Fear kept me from telling the two of you how I felt for far too long._

So instead of telling him what she really wanted to, she said, “It’s all thanks to you. I would’ve failed out of this class a long time ago if you hadn’t saved me.” 

That cute blush that she’d seen cross his face more than a few times over the semester overcame him again. “You’re incredibly smart, Aloy. If you had gone to a different high school, you might have been teaching this class better than I could,” he joked lamely. 

An awkward silence filled his little office as she struggled to find any words to fill it. Finally, she just blurted out, “Good luck on your finals, I hope you have a good summer!”

Aloy turned to sprint out of there as fast as she could, but Avad caught her hand. His touch almost burned her and she refused to look back at him when he said quietly, “Aloy, I-”

“Thank you, Avad. But I need to go.” 

The fear choked her and Aloy tugged her hand out of his to flee. 

Later, she would curl up in her bed in her tiny dorm room, cursing herself for everything she was and couldn’t be. She couldn’t help the sobs that escaped her, knowing she would probably always be alone and it would be her own fault. 

> _So smart and yet so unbelievably stupid. I would have given you anything, sweetheart, even back then._

When she aced her history final, the excitement overcame her and before she knew what she was doing, Aloy was racing down the history building to a room now as familiar to her as her own dorm. 

She didn’t even know if Avad would be there, but she had to see him. 

His door was wide open when she reached it and Aloy skidded to a stop, breathing hard and probably looking like a feral child with her hair all awry. He looked up as she came in, surprise making his eyes go wide. 

“I got an A,” she said breathlessly. “Avad, I aced my final.”

An absolutely gorgeous smile stole across his face and any breath Aloy had gained back was gone again. “I know you did, Aloy, I graded it. And you did amazing.” 

The sheer fondness in his gaze threatened to overwhelm her and just like last time, Aloy choked on all the words in her heart. Instead, all she could say yet again was, “Thank you, Avad.” _For everything,_ she thought, _for making me feel like I was worth your time and attention._

As much as she couldn’t say that, she also couldn’t leave. She had fled the last time she had seen him and this time her feet wouldn’t obey her command to do the same. Instead, Avad stood, uncertainty plain on his face. 

He approached her slowly, as if she was a wild animal that would flee if he moved too quickly. “I- I know I’ve been your TA all semester, but now that the semester is over… Aloy, will you go out with me? On a date?” 

> _This sounds vaguely familiar. I wonder where I’ve heard this kind of stumbling proposal before..._

Aloy’s heart stuttered to a stop. The hope in his eyes was almost painful and everything in her ached to accept. Other than Vala, she’d never- and even with her it hadn’t been- She had a crush on him, had been falling for him for months, but she’d never thought he would _return_ her feelings. 

Avad must have seen the absolute terror on her face because his own expression softened. Reaching out, he took her hand and she couldn’t bring herself to pull it back. “You don’t need to say yes, Aloy. I wouldn’t want to make you do anything you don’t want to. But, for what it’s worth, I think I could love you.” 

> _And I was right. I do._

Tears gathered in her eyes and before Aloy could stop it, one fell. With his free hand, Avad cupped her face, wiping the wet track away with his thumb. Not a single hint of judgement or impatience showed on his face.

At that moment, the only thing she wanted was to say yes. 

So she did. 

“I’d love to,” she whispered. “Go out with you, I mean.” All of a sudden, she realized what she had agreed to and her blood rushed to her face. 

But Avad just laughed, joyfully, as if she had made his entire year. He looked at her with those puppy dog eyes and asked, “Do you mean it? You really want to?”

Unable to help the smile now spreading across her own face, Aloy nodded. “More than anything.”

Avad let go of her hand to cradle her face in both hands. “I know I’m supposed to actually take you for a date first, but can I kiss you, Aloy?”

“Yes,” she whispered, her heart hammering in her ears. 

When he kissed her, Aloy could have sworn the world stopped around her. 

> _You two are so sweet my teeth ache. I love it._

The summer began and Aloy had a boyfriend. It was… unlike anything she had ever experienced. 

Avad was there for her when she moved from the dorms into her new apartment, helping her cart all the boxes of trinkets and books she had accumulated over the past year. He took her out for dinners and movies - and she found out that he always dressed exactly as he did for class, all nice in his button downs and sweater vests and khakis. And he was infuriatingly patient with her. 

Whenever she rambled, he listened with curiosity and attention, even when she went off on tangents about clean energy and the looming rise of unethical robotics. More than that, he was there for her when she was struggling with any kind of emotional upheaval. The first time she had gotten a letter from Rost, she’d broken down, right before Avad was supposed to come over. As soon as she opened the door and he saw her face, she was in his arms and he held her for hours as she cried and ranted. It had been the first time someone had just listened to her, not trying to solve her problems, just listening and holding her.

She hadn’t known how much she had needed that grounding touch. But it became a haven for her. 

Ever since that first time he held her while she cried, Aloy was more comfortable around him physically. The only other person she had ever touched casually, with familiarity, was Vala, but this was different. When she brushed her hand against Avad’s arm to reassure herself of his presence, he would catch her hand and kiss it absentmindedly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He never denied her a single hug and he let her snuggle next to him when they would watch a movie on his couch. 

But he had only kissed her a few times after that first one. With every day that passed, Aloy got more frustrated, unable to tell him why when he was so kind and considerate of her. She wasn’t a virgin - though she hadn’t ever been with a man before - and she wasn’t innocent of what went on in the bedroom, so she couldn’t understand why he was waiting for so long. 

> _I was being a_ gentleman. _You’re supposed to wait until your partner is ready._

When she figured out he was letting her set the pace, Aloy almost smacked herself. Of course he was letting her figure herself out first, that’s the kind of guy Avad was. 

The next time he invited her over and they were curled up on his couch together, Aloy studied him out of the corner of her eye. He had his arm around her, pulled tight to his side as he played with the longer strands of her hair. Avad’s eyes were on the TV, but a slight blush colored his cheeks slightly darker than usual.

“Avad?” When he turned to look at her, Aloy’s nerves took over and she flushed. “Could you, um, could you kiss me?”

Confusion shone on his face. “Yes, but what’s wrong, sweetheart?” 

The endearment only made her face flame hotter. She didn’t want to explain herself, she just wanted him to kiss her. “I realized that you were waiting for me and I-” Aloy’s throat closed up and she had to clear it before continuing, averting her eyes to the floor. “I would really like to be close to you.”

“Aloy,” he said gently, his fingers catching her chin to tilt it up so she would meet his eyes. Warm amusement made him smile slightly and it itched at Aloy, making her want to tear out of his arms and stomp off instead of being made fun of. But instead of saying something that would only make her angry, Avad’s lips covered hers in a soft kiss. 

> _A very wise way to satisfy our huntress._

Every thought drained out of her as Aloy sighed into the kiss, pressing closer to him as Avad’s hand slid from her chin to her neck, cradling her with his touch. He kept it light and slow and sweet and it made her feel like she was about to explode. Aloy was the one who deepened the kiss, needing to find a haven in the lust roaring through her with every touch. 

Aloy shifted but before she could straddle him, Avad pulled back. “Aloy, wait,” he said breathlessly. “We don’t need to rush this. We can take our time.” 

Letting out a disgusted noise, Aloy said, “I’m not a virgin, Avad, you don’t need to be gentle with me.”

To her surprise, he laughed. Before she had time to get outraged, he dragged her gently onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her tight. Pressing his forehead to hers, he said, “That doesn’t matter to me, dear one. It’s _our_ first time together and I want to treasure that.” 

> _Ah, Aloy, you should have propositioned him earlier. He’s entirely too cute to resist._

Aloy’s breath left her in a rush and she buried her face against his shoulder before he could see her cry. “You can’t just _say_ things like that,” she muttered, overwhelmed at how utterly lost she was for this man. 

Pulling her off of him, Avad pressed another kiss against her lips and she could feel his smile and taste her own tears. This time, Aloy let him set the pace, melting into him as he kissed her so thoroughly she thought she might well die of need and this suffocating feeling of being adored in the sweetest way possible. 

When she shifted off him to stand, Avad watched her closely. Holding out her hand for him, Aloy muttered, “We could go to your bedroom, if you want.” 

His hand slid into hers without hesitation and he let her lead the way for the few strides it took to get there. As soon as he shut the door behind them, Aloy went to pull her shirt off but Avad’s hands stopped her. “Let me?” he asked.

Aloy nodded once, letting go of her shirt. Instead of taking it off right away, Avad let his hands fall to her waist, pulling her close for another kiss. It was a long minute before his hands slid under her shirt to brush over her skin and Aloy shivered, not even caring about his slow pace anymore. He pushed her shirt up and she pulled away to let him drag it up and over her head and arms. Without his kisses consuming her attention, her nerves returned and Aloy crossed her arms over her chest, hugging herself as she waited for him to make the next move. 

“We go as far as you want to, Aloy. We can stop any time you want us to,” he said quietly, reaching out to take her hands in his own. 

Those words centered her and Aloy felt the familiar fire in her that she had kept all her life. Lifting her gaze to his, she said clearly, “I don’t want to stop. I want everything. I want you.” 

> _By the sun, do you know what saying that did to me? I could barely even think at that point._

This time, she was the one who kissed him. Avad’s hands smoothed down her bare sides as she wrapped her arms around his neck, down to her waistband. He undressed her slowly, taking the time to run his hands over every inch that he bared until Aloy wasn’t even sure if she needed anything other than this for the rest of her life. 

When he dragged the straps of her bra off her shoulders, she realized that she was much further behind than him. Her hands moved faster, needing to feel his skin against hers, as she undid his shirt and pants until they were both naked. Breathless when they broke apart, Aloy pulled back a little to drag her gaze down every inch of her boyfriend. 

By the time she finished her perusal and she was a second away from jumping him where he stood, Avad was blushing and his own gaze burned her as it traced over her body. Aloy wasn’t sure who reached for the other first, but she was in his arms in an instant as she pulled him back towards his bed. 

Climbing onto the bed, Aloy wasn’t sure what she wanted to do or where to go. Should she lay down? Or let him-

Gently, Avad pressed her shoulders until she fell back onto the sheets. He leaned down to kiss her, as his fingertips traced down her neck and over her collarbones and all of her being felt attuned to the places he touched her. His kisses soon followed and Aloy writhed beneath him as he paid loving attention to her. 

> _So you got a taste of_ that _Avad, hmm? Lucky girl._

At the first brush of his lips over her breast, Aloy arched up into him, crying out. He did it again and again, kissing and licking her until her hands tangled in his curls and she was moaning his name. “Avad, I need you.”

Placing a kiss between her breasts, Avad murmured, “Soon, I just have something else I want to do first.”

The haze in Aloy’s brain couldn’t figure out what he meant until his lips traced down over her stomach and lower. When she felt his breath over her wet slit, she finally caught on but then his mouth was on her and nothing else mattered. 

_He’s done this before._ Avad tracked every reaction she made and soon enough, Aloy fell over the edge of absolute pleasure. She might not have been a virgin, but she had never felt like _this,_ as if every nerve ending was drowning in ecstasy. And even after she came, Avad didn’t let up. 

By the time she tugged on his hair to pull him up into a rough kiss, Aloy had had enough. The only thing she wanted now was him. She could taste herself on his lips and tongue before he drew back to wipe his mouth, smiling at her. “Sorry.”

“Don’t ever apologize for anything you just did,” she said passionately. 

> _Aloy, my love, please stop. I think I might die of embarrassment._

Avad laughed and she admired the relaxed joy on his face for a moment before throwing her leg over his hip and rolling them over. Still smiling, Avad looked up at her like she was the sun and Aloy couldn’t help but lean down to kiss him over and over. The heat between them began to build again as she rocked her hips against him and Aloy groaned into his mouth as she felt his hard cock press against her core. 

Settling his hands on her hips, Avad stilled her movements. “Lift up a bit?” he asked softly and she did, raising her hips so that she could wrap her fingers around his cock. Reaching over to the side table, he grabbed a little packet and ripped it open. Theoretically, Aloy knew how to put on a condom but she was impatient and almost glared at Avad the whole two seconds it took him to put it on, even though she was grateful for his presence of mind when her own was solely focused on getting him inside of her. 

When he was done, Avad put his hands on her hips, guiding her down gently. Aloy moved eagerly against him as he pushed up until she was once again sitting on his hips, but this time so full that she didn’t know if she could even move. She paused for a moment, catching her breath as she adjusted to the feeling of having him so deep inside her. Pulling her down into a surprisingly chaste kiss, Avad rolled his hips just the slightest bit and she cried out as she clenched around him. 

“Too much?”

Aloy shook her head emphatically. “Perfect. You’re perfect, Avad.” 

Bracing her hands on his chest, Aloy lifted her hips, feeling every inch of him as she did, before pushing back down. With his hands urging her on and his own gasps echoing hers, Aloy rocked against him, slowly at first but as she lost control, her movements sped up until she was almost dizzy. When she came again, Avad was there to catch her. 

Wrapping his arms around her, he murmured what she could only imagine were endearments into her ear but she couldn’t hear anything as she calmed. In her daze, she hadn’t even noticed that he had come too, only registering his sharp cry when she was finding her own bliss above him. But now, he pulled her close, stroking up and down her back in a way that made her feel like he treasured her. 

That was the first time she knew that she loved him. 

> _Oh kitten, that’s so sweet. It’s nice to hear that petting you has always made you get all affectionate._

With Avad at her side, her first summer of freedom passed quickly, so fast she found herself wishing the days were longer. She picked up more shifts at the camp she worked at, helping teach kids archery and rock climbing and teamwork. As she helped them, Aloy felt like they gave her a measure of peace as well.

When the fall semester of her sophomore year started up, Aloy was more happy and ready to go than she’d ever been. Until she started hearing the whispers. 

It wasn’t like the whole university was talking about her, but every time she entered the upper levels of the history building, she felt like everyone was staring at her. She had no clue what it was about until she overheard a couple of the women in the bathroom near her boyfriend’s office. 

“God, I hope he likes me. I wouldn’t mind _him_ giving me a history lesson, y’know?” came the loud voice from near the sinks. Aloy tried to ignore them but their voices echoed against the ceramic tiles. 

> _Oh Avad, don’t blush. I love your_ history lessons, _too._

The other woman hummed noncommittedly. “Don’t get your hopes up. Apparently, redheads are his thing - he’s dating one of his students from last year.”

“Wait,” the first one said, “you don’t mean the one who was in and out of his office for tutoring last semester, do you?”

Aloy’s heart sank as she realized they were talking about her and Avad. She really did _not_ want to hear this, but unless she wanted to walk out and face them now, she was trapped. 

“That’s the one. Avad isn’t the type to hand out good grades for girls he likes but it does make you wonder how hard she was trying. The man hasn’t dated anyone since that awful breakup of his after freshman year so she had to have done something amazing to hook her claws into him. He could have his pick of anyone at this college.”

Aloy slammed a hand over her mouth before her gasp gave her away. Thankfully, they were leaving, that last piercing comment the only thing she could clearly hear before their voices were muffled by the closing door. 

> _Well that was an absolutely juvenile commentary on something that’s none of their business. I feel like I’ve been transported back to high school._

Alone in the silence, Aloy’s gaze was glued to the stall door she had been standing in front of for far too long. None of that should have surprised her, but… well that certainly explained why she’d been getting stares. Numbly, Aloy pushed open the door and mechanically washed her hands. She didn’t even look at herself in the mirror, just left the bathroom on autopilot and headed toward Avad’s office. 

By the time she got there, she’d managed to work herself into a nice little snit. Aloy had enough presence of mind to check and see if there was a student in his office but when she saw it was empty except for her boyfriend, she shut the door behind her with a little more force than necessary. The sound made Avad jump and turn to look at her from where he was standing at one of his file cabinets. 

“Aloy? You nearly gave me a heart attack.” 

Tossing her bag onto the ground, Aloy threw herself into the chair in front of his desk. “I’m sick of being stared at like some kind of pariah. I deal with enough of that back with the Nora, I don’t need it happening here because of some _stupid_ reason like that.” By the time she finished, she was back up on her feet, pacing in front of him as Avad watched her in confusion. 

When she stopped to breathe, Avad said softly, “Aloy, you’re going to have to tell me what’s going on before I can help. Someone is staring at you? And what reason?”

She knew he kept his voice calm and even to help soothe her and damn if it didn’t work. With a huff, Aloy sank back into the chair before running her hands through her hair. When one hand got inevitably tangled, she cursed and tried detangling herself until Avad’s hands pushed her free one away and he gently helped her. “Tell me what’s on your mind, sweetheart.” 

Sighing, Aloy said, “I’ve been getting stared at all semester.” At his somewhat alarmed glance, she clarified. “Here, in the history building, just… by everyone. I can feel it, like they have me in their sights and I’m their prey.” Shivering slightly, Aloy wrapped her arms around herself. 

“And did you find out why?” Avad asked softly, cupping her face in his hand and brushing his thumb over her skin. 

Aloy leaned into his touch, loving the way he somehow managed to bring her peace. 

_She had to have done something amazing to hook her claws into him._

That old, familiar feeling welled up in her and Aloy couldn’t help the tears that gathered in her eyes as much as she tried to push them back down. “Avad?” she whispered.

“Aloy?” he asked, panic starting to tint his voice as he saw her tears. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

She didn’t care what a couple random strangers thought of her, she really didn’t, but she needed to know… “Why did you choose me?” 

“Choose you?” Confusion and concern warred on his face and when she searched his earnest brown gaze, Aloy saw that he truly didn’t know what she meant. 

“Why did you pick me? Out of everyone you could ask out, _why me?”_ When he blinked at her in surprise, his mouth hanging open for several long moments of heart rending silence, Aloy shot to her feet. “Nevermind, that was a stupid question. I- I have to go-” 

“Aloy.” His voice would have stopped her cold, the command in it even stronger than the grip he now had on her hand. In contrast, the tug he gave it was more like a question than a demand. “Sit down, please.”

Averting her eyes, unable to meet his gaze, she sat. He tilted her face up until she couldn’t avoid him before he said, “I chose you because I loved you, Aloy. From that very first time you called me by my name, I think I loved you. It wasn’t ever really a choice,” he said somewhat helplessly, shrugging with a little smile that consumed her. “I love you.” 

He said it like it was the only truth he knew and Aloy hadn’t realized quite how much she had needed to hear that. The tears she had held back began to fall but Avad brushed them away just as fast, leaning in to kiss her softly and whisper it again. “I love you.” 

Those words healed wounds in her that she hadn’t even known she had, and that scared her. The echo to his words beat in her heart but to say it would be to make herself vulnerable and even hearing him say it didn’t take away the fear she kept wrapped around her heart. 

Breaking his kiss, Aloy stumbled to her feet. Breathing as hard as if she’d just run a marathon, Aloy backed away a couple steps, unable to tear her gaze from his as first confusion then pain filled his warm brown eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, “I can’t-” Aloy swallowed hard. “You deserve better than me.”

Grabbing her bag, Aloy fled as fast as she could. As if from a distance, she heard Avad push to his feet as he tried to follow her, but she was too fast. This time everyone stared at her openly as she ran through the hall, no effort put into ignoring her as she ignored the wetness of her cheeks and the large part of her that ached to be back in his arms. 

> _You better have gone after her, Avad._

She made it all the way to the little park on campus before he caught up to her. 

> _Of course I did._

It was her own fault. Unable to bear the wave of emotions threatening to drown her, she had found the first spot she could tuck herself into and she let out an ugly sob as she let go. The only way he could have known where she was hidden is if he had followed her step by step. 

And he must have, because the next thing she knew, Avad’s arms were around her and she was clinging to him for dear life. Aloy lost the will to run and she let him hold her as she collapsed entirely. Despite the way she’d run, he still treated her as if she were precious and the words he whispered were the same ones as before. 

“I love you, Aloy. It’s okay, sweetheart, I’m here.” 

It took a while, but eventually his soft words and the way his hands smoothed over her hair and back calmed her enough that Aloy could pull back to wipe at her face. “I’m sorry,” she rasped quietly. 

“Don’t apologize, sweetheart. Just talk to me,” he pleaded. His fingers glided down to her hands and he held them tight. “Tell me what’s going on in that head of yours.” 

Aloy let out a noise that was half laugh and half sob. “What is there to say? You told me that you l-loved me and I ran away.”

Scoffing lightly, Avad squeezed her hands and drew her a little closer to him. “I know you, Aloy Sobeck. And I know that you love me, too, even if you’re not ready to tell me. And I will happily wait an eternity for you to be ready.” 

> _Avad, you are quite possibly the sappiest, most darling man in the entire universe._

A weight lifted from her as Aloy sank into his arms again. That was what she had needed to hear. Somehow he already knew - what she felt and what she needed. And he was willing to wait for her. Like some perverse lock, that’s what freed her.

Tugging him down so she could press her forehead against his, Aloy murmured, “I do. I do love you.” 

She could feel his smile when he kissed her and soon enough she was laughing with him as he swung her around. When he finally let her stand on her own, Avad gave her another kiss or three, as if unable to let her go. Aloy couldn’t say she didn’t feel the same. 

With a last, lingering kiss, Avad pulled back. “I don’t ever want to rush you, Aloy, but never doubt that I wouldn’t give you the world if I could. I love you dearly and as long as you want me, I’m yours.” 

“Okay.” Aloy took those words and wrote them on her heart. “I can live with that.” 

He laughed softly and it was a long time before they went back to his office as they talked quietly in that little bit of privacy. That wasn’t the last time Aloy got too overwhelmed and the urge to flee hit her - but it was the only time she ever ran from him. Knowing that he would always be there for her gave her the strength she needed.

***

“I shouldn’t be surprised that you’re a runner,” Nil mused before Aloy smacked him lightly on his exposed stomach. Catching her hand, he pressed a kiss to her palm. “You’re like a little rabbit, fleeing from danger.” 

His crooned words only made her struggle harder and he reeled her in until she was splayed across him. Only when he kissed her did she finally begin to settle, though she grumbled against his lips. “I’m not a rabbit.” 

“No, you’re right. Much more like a fox with all that red hair.” Nil laughed as she shoved herself off of him but he kept ahold of her hand as she abandoned him to snuggle into Avad. Feeling his smile soften as he watched them, Nil said, “I’m glad you stopped running, huntress.” 

Aloy snorted. “And now you know what would have happened if you ran from us.”

Unable to resist, Nil smirked at her. “I’ve got much longer legs than you, my love. Could you even keep up?”

This time, she was the one to attack him, throwing a leg over his waist to dig her fingertips in the soft spots of his ribs. When he cried out for mercy, laughter catching in his lungs until he couldn’t breath, she bestowed him a ruthlessly gentle kiss. “Yes, I could. Though it would be Avad you need to worry about.”

Tilting his face over to their lover, Nil found him watching them with utter fondness. “Is that true, pretty boy?”

Avad leaned over to kiss him, brushing back his hair. “Yes. I’m never letting either of you go, not in a million years.”

“Okay,” Nil whispered. “I can live with that.” 

He was too slow to dodge the pillow Aloy aimed at his head. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading along with all the fluff and smut!! I’ve loved your kudos and comments (and will always thrive off of them so please leave as many comments as you want, even if they’re just keysmashes or emojis), they’ve kept me going and they’re a joy to read. 
> 
> Fic rec this week is….Too Blind To See, the Eyes On Me and Everything & More sequel! I’ll start posting chapters soon, so if you subscribe to this series, you’ll get all the updates! If you’ve been reading this set of outtakes and haven’t read Eyes On Me, I’d highly recommend it (because I am unashamedly self-promoting right now), and I hope you’ll stick around for the absolute angst train that Too Blind To See will be. 
> 
> As always, much love and thanks to my co-creators, kittleskittle and toxcatl! This wouldn’t even be an idea in my head without them and all of this mess can be traced back to them and the chaotic conversations we’ve been having about camboy Nil for the last six months. This is all a product of their minds just as much as it is mine and we’ve all been immensely gifted by their art throughout the series so far. 
> 
> Love you all and look forward to seeing you again with TBtS!

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know in the comments what you liked or if you wanna see something from their lives! Feel free to visit us on tumblr @mythicaitt, @kittleskittle, and @toxcoto!
> 
> Additionally, we have an HZD shipping server! It is STRICTLY 18+, but we welcome shippers of every type and we don't bite! It's a friendly space for people to talk about what they love so if you feel like joining or even just lurking, we'd love to have you! https://discord.gg/4jzvSK3


End file.
